Dr. Henry Cotton Thought that Mental Illness Stemmed From Infections
Dr. Henry Cotton was probably the most terrifying “medical professional” of the early 1900’s. He theorized that mental illnesses were related to an infection of the body. He’d usually start by removing a tooth or two. If that didn’t work, he would conclude that the infection spread. So he’d remove whatever body part he saw fit, including: ovaries, tonsils, stomachs, limbs, gallbladders, testicles, and colons.