Legends of the Lost Limb

Amputation has been a part of human history for thousands of years—sometimes lifesaving, often brutal, and always evolving. In this episode, we trace the strange and bloody path of amputation from ancient surgical tools in the BCE era, through the speed (and spectacle) of Robert Liston's operations, to the advances of modern medicine. It's a journey through pain, innovation, and the bizarre practices that paved the way for today's surgical standards.