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Bacteria have flourished on the earth for over three billion years. They were the first life forms on the planet.
In 1864, the first barbiturate (barbituric acid) was synthesized.
Alzheimer's disease affects only about 10% of people older than 65 years of age. Most forms of decreased mental function and dementia are caused by disuse (letting the mind get lazy).
The first documented use of surgical anesthesia in the United States was in Connecticut in 1844.
It is believed that the Incas used anesthesia. Evidence supports the theory that shamans chewed cocoa leaves and drilled holes into the heads of patients (letting evil spirits escape), spitting into the wounds they made. The mixture of cocaine, saliva, and resin numbed the site enough to allow hours of drilling.