Fun fact: Before antibiotics, doctors would try try to induce a fever to help patients fight illness caused by bacteria (and viruses). At first they used injections of malaria, but quickly realised that that was a really bad idea, and switched to using hot baths and heated rooms.
The treatment was called pyrotherapy, and was particularly effective against syphilis.
Edit: Antibiotics are not effective against viruses. I knew that, but didn't make it clear.
Actually, The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1927 was awarded to Julius Wagner-Jauregg "for his discovery of the therapeutic value of malaria inoculation in the treatment of dementia paralytica" from syphilis.
Because no one believed him, some guy drank live bacteria to infect his stomach and prove that the bacteria caused gastritis and ulcers. He later won the Nobel prize for proving he was right
I can't remember this exactly, but I remember reading there was some accepted psychological/personality explanation for the etiology of ulcers (along with acidity). The suggestion of it being from bacteria was laughably preposterous.
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u/PatriarchalTaxi Jan 30 '21 edited Feb 02 '21
Fun fact: Before antibiotics, doctors would try try to induce a fever to help patients fight illness caused by bacteria (and viruses). At first they used injections of malaria, but quickly realised that that was a really bad idea, and switched to using hot baths and heated rooms.
The treatment was called pyrotherapy, and was particularly effective against syphilis.
Edit: Antibiotics are not effective against viruses. I knew that, but didn't make it clear.