A human experiment in nerve division by W. H .R. Rivers MD FRS, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge and Henry Head MD FRS, Physician to the London Hospital, Brain 1908: 31; 323–450
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Despite having studied in detail the symptoms and signs of recovery from peripheral nerve injury in patients at the London Hospital with Mr James Sherren, Dr He

From the history of pretty crazy self experimentation in medicine, a doctor has a cutaneous branch of his own radial nerve surgically cut. He then meticulously documents the progress of nerve regrowth, initial total numbness followed by neuropathic pain, and a partial return of sensation over time

  • Alacran
    3·
    2 years ago

    This is already pretty wild, before I even got to this part:

    By way of control, the authors turn to the work of Professor von Frey and Dr Rivers studies the characteristics of sensation on Dr Head’s glans penis.

    • NeuronOP
      3·
      2 years ago

      Turn of the century medicine was wild, you just can’t make this stuff up. Also interesting how they were grappling with problems we’re still trying to understand better today, like CNS sensitization to pain.