Ancient Greek doctors used electric rays to numb surgical pain
Long before modern anesthesia, ancient Greek physicians harnessed the bioelectricity of live torpedo rays to deaden sensation during surgery and provide relief for chronic pain.
Physicians like Dioscorides and Scribonius Largus utilized the electric discharge of the torpedo ray to provide localized numbing during surgical procedures. Patients would place the live fish directly onto the affected area, allowing the shock to dull the nerves before an incision was made.
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