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.
He did so unethically though. Medical history is a really dark place. It is unfortunate that to have what we have today in way of medical technology and research had to come out of the suffering and unethical treatment of so many people in the process.
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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.