In "The Devil in the White City," author Erik Larson details various historical methods for inducing vomiting, highlighting the surprising and bizarre techniques used in the past. One particularly strange method mentioned involves the use of tobacco injections, administered rectally through a pipe stem. This practice reflects the unconventional medical beliefs of the time and the desperation of individuals seeking relief from ailments.

The inclusion of such an unusual technique underscores the lengths to which people would go for healing, amidst the backdrop of a period marked by both innovation and superstition. Larson's narrative intertwines these historical anecdotes with broader themes of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, blending the macabre with the marvels of that transformative era.