Random Thought About Amputation

Another reason why medieval doctors were men: In the days before anesthesia, you wanted someone strong enough to saw through your gangrenous leg quickly.

However, excessive speed can be bad. I watched a British medical lecture where the professor recounted a very old story of a physician amputating someone's leg. In his zeal, he took off the infected leg, along with a testicle and a few fingers from the assistant holding the patient down.