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Check out this medieval brain surgery grifter
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Check out this medieval brain surgery grifter

Ellsworth Toohey
Apr 10, 2025
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Check out this medieval brain surgery grifter
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A malicious itinerant surgeon extracting stones from a grimacing patient's head; symbolising the extraction of 'folly' (insanity), by J. van der Bruggen after D. Teniers, (1600-1699)

Picture a town square in 1600s Europe. A smooth talking stranger promises to cure your relative's "folly" by removing stones from their skull, for a fee. Crowds gather to wa…

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