Bizarre RX – Weird, Wild, and Wacky Medical History

In this episode of Bizarre Rx, we’re cracking open the skulls of history—literally. Welcome to the ancient (and somehow ongoing?!) world of trephination, where headaches, demons, and bad vibes were treated with a rusty drill to the dome. From prehistoric skull holes to Hippocrates playing Home Depot with human heads, all the way to 1960s dudes self-drilling in the name of enlightenment, this episode asks: Why were we so obsessed with putting holes in our heads and why are some people still doing it?Was it medicine, madness, or just early humans really committed to opening their third eye the hard way? Pour a drink, grab your safety goggles, and prepare for a deep dive into one of history’s most unhinged cures.And seriously… if someone offered to cure your migraine with a hand drill—how bad would the pain have to be before you said yes?WARNING:In this show, we dive into the strangest, most jaw-dropping medical practices and findings throughout history. We’re not doctors, just curious fans who fell down some very weird rabbit holes. Expect a mix of bizarre facts, questionable science, and plenty of WTF moments. Heads up: some topics are graphic, so listener discretion is definitely advised. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

In this episode of Bizarre Rx, we’re cracking open the skull—figuratively—to explore the strange, controversial world of phrenology. Once hailed as cutting-edge brain science, this now-debunked practice claimed your personality lived in the bumps on your head. Spoiler: it gets weirder…and way more problematic.WARNING:In this show, we dive into the strangest, most jaw-dropping medical practices and findings throughout history. We’re not doctors, just curious fans who fell down some very weird rabbit holes. Expect a mix of bizarre facts, questionable science, and plenty of WTF moments. Heads up: some topics are graphic, so listener discretion is definitely advised. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

In this episode of Bizarre Rx, we’re wading knee-deep into the golden, glistening world of urine therapy, specifically, how horse pee became a multi-billion-dollar menopause treatment. From pregnant mares strapped to pee-collection rigs to the doctors who looked at a horse and thought, That’s the cure, we’re covering the wild history of Premarin. Was it a medical breakthrough or just Big Pharma taking the piss, literally? Grab your lab coats and maybe a poncho, because things are about to get weird, wet, and wildly questionable.Premarin is still on the market, so here’s the question: Would you take a medication if you found out it came from horse pee? Or better yet, what’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever used in the name of health and beauty? Spill your secrets in the comments.WARNING:In this show, we dive into the strangest, most jaw-dropping medical practices and findings throughout history. We’re not doctors, just curious fans who fell down some very weird rabbit holes. Expect a mix of bizarre facts, questionable science, and plenty of WTF moments. Heads up: some topics are graphic, so listener discretion is definitely advised. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

In this episode of Bizarre Rx, we’re diving into the messy, murky world of faith healing, where miracles meet manipulation and the line between divine intervention and a good old-fashioned scam gets blurry. From snake-oil preachers to "holy" water that’s just...water (and undrinkable), we explore the shady history of those promising salvation, health, and eternal life, all for a price. Is it a cure or a con?WARNING:In this show, we dive into the strangest, most jaw-dropping medical practices and findings throughout history. We’re not doctors, just curious fans who fell down some very weird rabbit holes. Expect a mix of bizarre facts, questionable science, and plenty of WTF moments. Heads up: some topics are graphic, so listener discretion is definitely advised. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

WARNING:This isn’t the main show. This is Afterthoughts, where we push past the weird and straight into the unhinged. We’re talking controversial takes, spicy topics, and the kind of conversation that makes polite society clutch its pearls. From corpse medicine to beef tallow makeup, from raunchy romance to porn and relationships. Nothing’s off-limits. If you’re easily offended, now’s your chance to back out. If you’re ready for chaos…let’s go.We started with corpse medicine, but now we’re spiraling deeper. This Afterthoughts episode chews on everything from eating animals (and people) across cultures (yes, even the taboo ones) to slathering beef tallow on your face like it’s Sephora. Ever wonder how far you’d go for survival or just a really good meal?Then, we shift gears to books, from Akwaeke Emezi’s haunting The Death of Vivek Oji and Little Rot to Mistborn’s fantasy adventures to the smut that gets devoured by adults. What’s the real difference between reading erotica and watching porn? Is it just spice, or is there something deeper at play?Finally, we touch on the taboo of sex and why it still makes people squirm. Women swap tips, giggle, and openly discuss what works, so why do so many men treat it like a secret mission? Why is talking about pleasure still so awkward when, let’s be real, everyone’s doing it ? Is it time to start having real conversations about what’s fun, what’s satisfying, and what we actually want? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

Feeling sick? In the 1600s, the solution wasn’t chicken soup. It was ground-up mummy, fresh human blood, or a nice rub of corpse fat. That’s right, medical cannibalism was all the rage, and rich folks treated powdered Pharaohs like their personal Advil. From grave robbing to straight-up execution blood vendors, history proves people will eat anything if they think it’ll keep them alive.Would you rather drink powdered mummy or take a modern vampire facial? Or are you just gonna stick with Tylenol? Let’s discuss. Share your weirdest old-school remedy below.WARNING:In this show, we dive into the strangest, most jaw-dropping medical practices and findings throughout history. We’re not doctors, just curious fans who fell down some very weird rabbit holes. Expect a mix of bizarre facts, questionable science, and plenty of WTF moments. Heads up: some topics are graphic, so listener discretion is definitely advised. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

Ever heard the phrase "blowing smoke up your ass"? Turns out, it wasn’t just an expression—it was an actual 18th-century medical procedure. Welcome to Bizarre Rx, the podcast that explores the wild, weird, and WTF moments in medical history.In this episode, we’re lighting up a story so ridiculous you’ll wonder if it’s satire—but no, people really thought pumping nicotine into your rectum could cure drowning, colds, and a bad attitude. With firsthand accounts (like the questionable testimony of a sailor named Slimy Ned), we’re here to remind you: medicine has always been a little unhinged.Would you ever trust a doctor named Dr. Fucklestick with your rear-end resuscitation? Ever had a cure so dumb it actually worked? Let us know.WARNING:In this show, we dive into the strangest, most jaw-dropping medical practices and findings throughout history. We’re not doctors, just curious fans who fell down some very weird rabbit holes. Expect a mix of bizarre facts, questionable science, and plenty of WTF moments. Heads up: some topics are graphic, so listener discretion is definitely advised. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

Snake oil salesmen, real water snakes, and Perkins Tractors. Welcome to the weird world of placebos. In this episode, we dive into how people have been tricked (or tricked themselves) into feeling better for centuries, from miracle cures to modern-day magic pills. Whether it’s a weight-loss supplement, a boner pill, or just a couple of wooden rods, placebos are everywhere.But do they actually work?Have you ever taken something thinking it’d help, only to realize it was all in your head? Do you think your mind would know, or would it be fooled? Let us know.WARNING:In this show, we dive into the strangest, most jaw-dropping medical practices and findings throughout history. We’re not doctors, just curious fans who fell down some very weird rabbit holes. Expect a mix of bizarre facts, questionable science, and plenty of WTF moments. Heads up: some topics are graphic, so listener discretion is definitely advised. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

We don’t always do this, but sometimes we just can’t shut up. Welcome to After Afterthoughts—where we go even deeper into the weird, the wild, the controversial, the cheeky, the mind-melting, and occasionally...the smelly. No rules, no filters, just us, spiraling for your entertainment.From Cormac McCarthy to Tribe, from ghosts to dishwashing mindfulness. Today, we’re jumping headfirst into the magic of words, the chaos of creativity, and the weird ways we exist in the world. Books that haunt us, imaginary friends, and whether a messy house is really a moral failing (spoiler: it’s not).Can you change your personality? Should you? And if you could live one day as a completely different version of yourself—who would you be? A villain? A poet? A gardener?Let’s talk. Drop your book recs, your hot takes, or just tell us—what’s the best way words have ever moved you? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

The poop talk’s over. Now for Afterthoughts where we talk names, social skills, and at some point, we ended up on car boobs and Freud, because of course we did. Do names really matter? Does eye contact actually make you human?Now tell us—do you use people’s names when you talk to them, or do you dodge with "hey man," "dude," or a well-placed "bro” or ma’am? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

Would you eat poop if it could save your life? Turns out, people have been doing it for centuries. In this episode, we dive into the bizarre history of fecal transplants, from ancient China to modern medicine, plus all the weird, wild, and slightly horrifying facts in between. Buckle up, because this one’s a real movement.Would you ever try a fecal transplant if it meant saving your life? Have you already done one? And should the U.S. take notes from China, since they’ve been doing this for over a thousand years? Let’s talk 💩.WARNING:In this show, we dive into the strangest, most jaw-dropping medical practices and findings throughout history. We’re not doctors, just curious fans who fell down some very weird rabbit holes. Expect a mix of bizarre facts, questionable science, and plenty of WTF moments. Heads up: some topics are graphic, so listener discretion is definitely advised. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

Welcome to Afterthoughts, where we take the bizarre, the ridiculous, and the downright random from today’s episode and run with it. Sometimes we stay on topic, sometimes we don’t, and sometimes we bring on guests to make it even weirder. Let’s get into it. In this episode, we’re joined by Amanda as we dive into a conversation about personality, identity, and what it really means to be your true self. Can you ever fully be yourself? It’s a deep one, but don’t worry, we’ll keep it weird. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com

Welcome to Bizarre RX, A Podcast About Weird, Wild, and Wacky Medical History. Before there was Viagra, there were goat testicle implants. Yes, really. In this episode, we unravel the bizarre story of Dr. John Brinkley, the man who convinced thousands of men that goat glands were the key to virility. From wild medical claims to white glove service for your brand-new goat balls, this one is as ridiculous as it gets.If you were alive in the 1920s and a doctor told you goat testicles would make you more manly, would you go for it? And more importantly—why do we keep falling for bizarre medical fads? Let’s discuss.WARNING:In this show, we dive into the strangest, most jaw-dropping medical practices and findings throughout history. We’re not doctors, just curious fans who fell down some very weird rabbit holes. Expect a mix of bizarre facts, questionable science, and plenty of WTF moments. Heads up: some topics are graphic, so listener discretion is definitely advised. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tinymonster.substack.com