Residues on medical equipment reveal that physicians in China over 600 years ago used aconitine, a highly toxic plant chemical, to alleviate pain during surgical procedures
Humans
Residues on medical equipment reveal that physicians in China over 600 years ago used aconitine, a highly toxic plant chemical, to alleviate pain during surgical procedures
By James Woodford
26 May 2026
Facebook / Meta
Surgeons in imperial China used anaesthetics — in careful doses
Ming Dynasty Surgeons Used Poison as an Anesthetic, Ancient Tools Reveal
Instrumentos quirúrgicos de la dinastía Ming revelan rastros de anestésico utilizado hace 600 años
Un anestésico hallado en unas tijeras quirúrgicas de hace 600 años revela el alto grado de sofisticación de la medicina de la China Ming
Una planta venenosa permitió operar sin dolor hace seis siglos: hallan toxina anestésica en herramientas de la dinastía Ming
Il primo anestetico topico della storia potrebbe essere un veleno usato dai chirurghi durante la dinastia Ming
No era sangre, era un veneno letal: el misterioso polvo rojo descubierto en unas tijeras quirúrgicas de la dinastía Ming
This Week in Science: A Sleep Apnea Pill, Ancient Anesthetic, And More!
In 1844, Horace Wells watched a laughing-gas stunt hide pain in plain sight, and it wasn’t just a party trick: It changed anesthesia
¿Se operaría sabiendo que no hay un anestesiólogo a cargo?
Traces on tweezers and surgical scissors suggest liquid medication was applied to the skin of patients.
Researchers recently announced the discovery of Ming-era (1368–1644) topical anaesthetics, but how did they work.
Recent discovery provides evidence to support ancient texts about a herbal anaesthetic that was said to have been used during…
Traces of red material crusted on ancient surgical tools may not be a record of pain, but rather the absence thereof.
El hallazgo apareció durante estudios químicos realizados sobre herramientas médicas antiguas conservadas en China.…
Investigadores identificaron rastros de un potente anestésico vegetal en herramientas quirúrgicas de la dinastía Ming. El…
