Syringe
While it’s true that we still use syringes our days, they used to look a lot different a few centuries ago, and the needle was much bigger than it is now. The syringe was made from metal and had a long, thin tube and pump, used in the 16th century to inject mercury as a treatment for syphilis.
The syringe used to be so huge, that it wasn’t used as it is today, so patients didn’t get stabbed, which is definitely good news. However, it was a urethral syringe, so it was inserted into the male reproductive organ, which was very painful as well.
Unfortunately, a lot of people died because of the mercury that was injected, before they even got to experience the complications of the disease.
Read also: 12 Spooky Things Your Body Can Do Post-Mortem.
