16th Century Nose Jobs
- By Anna Rothschild
- Posted 09.05.13
- NOVA
Losing one's nose was not completely uncommon in 16th century Europe. To replace their lost sniffers, some brave patients underwent an early form of rhinoplasty, which was performed without antibiotics or anesthesia.
Transcript
16th Century Nose Jobs
Posted: September 5, 2013
Thinking about getting a nose job? Thank goodness it’s not the 16th century.
Turns out people actually got nose jobs in 16th century Europe. But they weren’t due to vanity—they were because of two major causes of nose loss. The first was swords: it wasn’t completely uncommon to lose your nose in a duel. In fact, Tycho Brahe, the 16th century astronomer, lost his nose in a dispute over a mathematical formula. For the rest of his life, he wore a brass nose.
The second cause was syphilis. The disease was a big problem in 16th century Europe, and in its later stages, it can cause tumor-like growths called “gummas.” When they form on the nose, they can eat away at the healthy flesh and basically just leave a rotting mass of tissue on your face.
In order to replace all these lost noses, two brothers in Italy came up with an early form of rhinoplasty. The process went something like this: They would make two incisions on your bicep, slide a knife under the skin between the incisions, and then shove some fabric or cloth under the skin flap they’d created. They would leave the fabric there for about three weeks—to make sure the skin didn’t reattach to the muscle—at which point they would cut off one end of the flap and sew it on to your face. You’d basically have to walk around with your head attached to your bicep for about two weeks! Then, they would cut off the other end of the flap, mold the whole thing into a nose-like shape, and sew that onto your face as well.
That all sound horrifying enough, but remember, this was 16th century Europe. There were no antibiotics, there were no good antiseptics. So basically it was quite possible that you would die of sepsis because of your nose job. On top of that, there was no anesthesia, so you were awake for this entire process.
So, if you don’t like your nose, or you have syphilis, be thankful you live in the 21st century.
Ew.
Credits
PRODUCTION CREDITS
- Produced, edited, and hosted by
- Anna Rothschild
- Written by
- Anna Rothschild and Alison Bruzek
- Researched by
- Alison Bruzek
- Original Footage
- © WGBH Educational Foundation 2013
MEDIA CREDITS
- (Behandlung Syphiliskranker)
- Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
- (Gumma)
- CDC via Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
- (Illustrations of 16th Century Nose Job)
- Gaspare Tagliacozzi/Public Domain
- (Tycho Brahe)
- Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
IMAGE
- (main image: Illustration of 16th Century Nose Job)
- Gaspare Tagliacozzi/Public Domain
Related Links
-
The Tongue-Eating Parasite
Gross science: This parasite crawls into a fish's mouth and replaces its tongue. Enough said.
-
Bed Bug Sex
Gross Science: How bed bugs reproduce is the stuff of nightmares.
-
Inca Skull Surgery
See evidence of a radical surgical procedure common among the Inca 500 years ago.
-
History of Military Medicine
Take a look at historical photos tracing milestones in military medicine, and test your knowledge of what they are.