Images show horrific 19th century surgery

Surgery to remove cancer of the tongue (left) and eye surgery to correct strabismus/ Screen capture from Twitter

A new book contains images showing the barbaric nature of 19th century surgery.

“Crucial Interventions” shows images from 17th-19th century surgical textbooks. Medical historian Richard Barnett compiled the book.

Amputation of toes and feet (up) and sewing up an artery in the groin region/ Screen capture from Twitter

The images show various surgeries, including piercing eyeballs, peeling back the jaw and cutting into the brain -- without aesthetic.

Anatomist John Hunter said most patients before the 19th century died from post-operative shock, infection, or loss of blood.

The post-operative death rate was 80 per cent in some London hospitals, he said.