Anthropology.netBright red rust on Ming Dynasty surgical scissors contained traces of aconitine — a toxic plant alkaloid used as an anaesthetic. New SRS analysis provides the first direct chemical evidence for surgical pain management in ancient China. #Archaeology #MingDynasty #MedicalHistory @Antiquity https://www.anthropology.net/p/a-poison-on-the-blade-aconitine-traces
A Poison on the Blade: Aconitine Traces and the Evidence for Surgical Anesthesia in Ming China
New analysis of 15th-century surgeon’s tools reveals plant alkaloids, offering the first direct chemical proof of anesthetics in ancient Chinese surgery.