Humoural Theory: Inside the Strange Pseudoscience That Dominated Western Medicine for 2,000 Years

For centuries, the bleeding edge of medical practice involved leeches, lancets and draining perfectly good blood from already-ailing patients. Was there ever a scientific method to this madness? Sort of. 

By Jack Feerick
Dec 16, 2020 5:08 PMDec 16, 2020 5:09 PM
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(Credit: Zvonimir Atletic/Shutterstock)

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When we look at the history of science, and in particular at the history of medical procedures, it’s natural to wonder: How did anybody ever think this was a good idea?

Consider the once-ubiquitous practice of bloodletting. From the days of ancient Egypt until well into the nineteenth century, bleeding was the standard therapy for a multitude of conditions. Had a stroke? Break out the leeches! Diabetes? Time to slice open a vein! Jaundice, scurvy, epilepsy, the plague, pneumonia, gout, leprosy, asthma, post-surgical inflammation — whatever ailed you, the first line of treatment was probably exsanguination. Even a bad case of acne could earn you a trip to the barber-surgeon, where you would be bled until you passed out.

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