Bible Cysts Treated By Dead Man’s Hand
- Time Period: 1740s to 1800s
In the 1700s, cysts were not uncommon to see. It used to be believed that you could get rid of specific types that popped up on the hands or wrists by smashing them with a heavy book. While this could sometimes result in the cyst falling off, it could also cause further issues. By the late 1500s, the printing press made it possible for books to be printed in mass quantities. That obviously led to the Holy Bible being printed in multiple languages worldwide.
Early Bibles were usually big, heavy books and the most common book people owned. This led to bibles being used to smash cysts, inspiring the name “Bible Cyst.” The practice of hitting them is still in use today for many. However, some felt that smashing would not help. That led to other old medical treatments being implemented, with the craziest being to touch them with a dead man’s hand. The idea comes from Lorenz Heister, the same man who recommended smashing them too.