Before antibiotics came along, syphilis treatments were often more dangerous than the disease itself. One popular method involved slathering mercury ointment all over the skin multiple times a day. Doctors thought this could cure the disease – despite the absolutely brutal side effects.

Folks suffering through it dealt with sores, losing their teeth, and kidney failure. Some even kicked the bucket from mercury poisoning before the syphilis could do its thing. This “cure” was straight-up worse than the disease, no question.

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