Plombage
Prior to the introduction of effective tuberculosis medicine, plombage was used to treat the disease from the 1930s to the 1950s. Physicians believed that a collapsed lung would heal faster, so they used the plombage method to forcibly collapse the lung. During the procedure, a doctor would create a cavity underneath the upper ribs and fill the space with materials such as Lucite (acrylic) balls, ping pong balls, oils, rubber sheets, paraffin wax, or gauze. Unsurprisingly, this treatment carried the risk of complications. Many of the patients suffered from hemorrhage, infection, and fistulization (abnormal opening between two hollow organs) of the bronchus, aorta, esophagus, and skin.
#18 The idea is that of sympathetic (imitative) magic : mices have good teeth, so they are good for ailing teeth... the same kind of "reasoning" is always used nowadays in... homeopathy !
#19 Some trepanated prehistoric patients have survived long enough for the bone to grow again around the opening !
#1 Maybe one was supposed to have masturbated with a handful of cornflakes. That certainly would have made it a lot less fun. (Cream on your cornflakes, anyone?)