The application of human-sourced pharmaceuticals throughout history has often led to more suffering than healing. Examples include the use of cadaver skin wrapped around calves to alleviate cramps, which likely brought discomfort rather than relief. Additionally, there was the use of liquefied placenta aimed at calming patients experiencing unexplained agitation, a practice that raises questions about its effectiveness and safety.

More bizarre remedies involve clear liquid feces employed to treat worms by luring insects to exit the body, and even fresh blood injected into the face as a treatment for eczema. These examples, highlighted by author Mary Roach in "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers," reveal the extreme, often misguided lengths to which medicine has gone in attempts to cure ailments, sometimes causing significant distress to patients.