Surgical scissors and tweezers excavated from Xia Quan’s grave, containing remnants of the anesthetic aconitine.
Image credit: Xue Ling et al.
The discovery of two medical instruments from a 15th-century Chinese surgeon’s tomb reveals traces of anesthetic compounds, marking the earliest evidence of efforts to alleviate pain during medical procedures.
Excavated in 1974 from the tomb of renowned surgeon Xia Quan (1348-1411), located in Jiangsu province, these surgical scissors and tweezers shed light on ancient medical practices.
Researchers from Northwest University in Xi’an, China utilized advanced laser technology to analyze the residue on these tools and detected significant traces of aconitine, a compound derived from the aconite genus, commonly known as Wolfsbane. This substance frequently appears in historical Chinese medicine formulations.
Aconitine functions by interacting with sodium channels within the neuronal cell membrane, producing an anesthetic effect when administered in precise doses. However, its high toxicity limits its contemporary medical use due to the associated risk of poisoning.
The significant presence of residue on the scissor blades and tweezers’ tips suggests the aconitine was intentionally applied, not merely a result of contamination, according to researchers.
According to Carnie Matheson, a professor at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, the findings offer compelling, direct evidence of anesthetic application in ancient surgery.
“This indicates that early surgeons had a more advanced understanding of pain management than we previously recognized,” Matheson stated. “Now, we can better appreciate why surgeries were performed in historical contexts and how they were manageable,” he added.
Historical texts reveal that Ming Dynasty medical practitioners developed various methods to lessen aconitine’s toxicity, including utilizing techniques such as “processing it with boy’s urine, soaking it in black bean decoction, boiling it in vinegar, detoxifying it using mung beans, and removing the outer skin of aconite tubers,” noted Zhao et al.
Matheson elaborated that refining aconitine from these toxic plants required significant scientific knowledge to ensure safe application for patients. “Surgeons had to extract the benefits of these compounds without endangering themselves or their patients, all while ensuring the methods were effective,” he explained.
Topics:
- Medical Drugs /
- Archaeology
Source: www.newscientist.com
