Outdated hygiene practices that are far from clean

Mercury Was Used to Treat Syphilis

Before the advent of antibiotics, syphilis treatments were sometimes more dangerous than the disease itself. One of the most common methods was to rub a mercury-based ointment onto the skin several times a day. Doctors believed it helped cure the disease—despite some horrific side effects.

Patients suffered from ulcers, lost their teeth, and could develop kidney failure. Some died of mercury poisoning long before syphilis could kill them. This “cure” was actually worse than the disease.