The Most Painful Medical Procedures Of Medieval Times

By All That's Interesting | Edited By Savannah Cox

Published November 12, 2012

Updated December 11, 2019

Bloodletting

A fairly common practice throughout medieval times, some believe that bloodletting was modeled after the menstruation cycle as it “purged women of bad humors,” the most salient of which being blood. The practice could be done by barbers, ostensibly taking a break from trimming their client’s hair.

To do so, the physician/barber would make a small cut in the inner arm and release an amount of blood that was determined by the individual’s age, health, weather and current place. No, it doesn’t make much sense to us, either and definitely seems like one of the more unnecessary and painful medical procedures of Medieval times.

Source: NLM

If you enjoyed reading about the most painful medical procedures of medieval times, be sure to read the most painful torture devices of the Middle Ages and the disgusting truths of pre-industrial life.

author

Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.

editor

Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.