What if aneasthesia was never invented? how would society be different?

Answer 1

Anaesthesia existed in the Middle Ages but was discarded because some patients never woke up, so it was declared too dangerous. Thus for centuries after that patients died of shock and any fine surgery was impossible as a squirming and screaming patient is not a great help to a surgeon.

When anaesthesia was rediscovered it was considered a miracle and allowed the real start of surgery as we know it (going deep in a body instead of just cutting off limbs). At first it was refused to women giving birth since they were supposed to give birth painfully as stated in the Bible. It is now a regular feature of birthing and allowed the saving of numerous lives, reducing the death rate so low that in 1st world countries women do not fear giving birth anymore.

It also allowed the start of another kind of surgery : lifting, liposuction, implants would never have existed if it couldn't have been done painlessly (see note above about squirming and screaming).

And last but not least it also started modern dentistry (still that squirming and screaming) and allowed us to keep our teeth instead of having them pulled off when they rotted.

So, no anaesthesia would mean no fine tune surgery, no painless birth, no cosmetic surgery and most people hiding their toothless mouth as they did for centuries. A different world indeed.

Answer 2

We would die of shock as they cut into our bodies to remove appendix or uterus or tumors, or we would become very adept at self hypnosis to dull or dampen the "sill of pain sensibility" in the brain; Or better yet-- go "Todash" as Steven King would say :) until the surgery was over.

Answer 3

First of all, a great deal of pain would be experienced!!! Probably many people will just be aggravated to experience so much pain everyday. Perhaps people would also avoid medical care to prevent any further pain.

Answer 4

modern medicine would not exist. We could not perform most of the surgeries that are common today. Our death rate would be higher and our life expectancy lower.

Answer 5

it would be hell getting a surgery done