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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.
In the United States, an estimated 50 million unnecessary antibiotics are prescribed for viral respiratory infections.
Atropine was named after the Greek goddess Atropos, the oldest and ugliest of the three sisters known as the Fates, who controlled the destiny of men.
The average office desk has 400 times more bacteria on it than a toilet.
Medication errors are more common among seriously ill patients than with those with minor conditions.