The 4,000-Year Medical Scam That Labeled Women 'Hysterical'
What Happened: The Rise and Fall of Medical Misogyny
The word ‘hysteria’ comes from the ancient Greek ‘hystéra,’ meaning uterus. For millennia, medical authorities blamed women’s reproductive organs for virtually every complaint they brought to doctors - from wanting to read books to experiencing anxiety to simply disagreeing with their husbands.
Ancient Egyptian and Greek physicians genuinely believed the uterus could detach itself and wander through a woman’s body, causing havoc wherever it went. Their ‘cure’? Placing sweet-smelling substances near the vagina to lure the wayward organ back home, or foul odors near the nose to repel it downward.