Comments on: The Hole Story on Trepanation http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/ A collection of Damn Interesting things Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:49:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: BenKinsey http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/#comment-22983 BenKinsey Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:23:10 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=393#comment-22983 The person in the picture looks like the Tinman from The Wizard of Oz haha. The person in the picture looks like the Tinman from The Wizard of Oz haha.

]]> By: a1c http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/#comment-22470 a1c Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:16:02 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=393#comment-22470 I dumped a girl because she was into phrenology. I dumped a girl because she was into phrenology.

]]> By: Cloudshadow http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/#comment-20309 Cloudshadow Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:12:05 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=393#comment-20309 I guess you need a hole in your head like you need a hole in your head. I guess you need a hole in your head like you need a hole in your head.

]]> By: mkp http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/#comment-19324 mkp Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:02:21 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=393#comment-19324 The article icenine linked to seems to depict a circle of stoners simply drifting through various stages of fascination with whatever tickles their fancy at the time, in this case trepanation. I have friends like this who seem to experience short term obsession with one thing or another before moving onto the next. His conclusion that trepanation does nothing (which may well be the case) sounds more like a case of boredom setting in, much like a child no longer amused by a toy. I think in the case of this weed smoking, caffeine chugging guy it may have been his abstinence from these drugs which may have given a heightened sense of consciousness. Hell, I just took two weeks off work of which I spent one week mostly blazed. A day after stopping with the dubes things were definately looking clearer. The article icenine linked to seems to depict a circle of stoners simply drifting through various stages of fascination with whatever tickles their fancy at the time, in this case trepanation. I have friends like this who seem to experience short term obsession with one thing or another before moving onto the next.
His conclusion that trepanation does nothing (which may well be the case) sounds more like a case of boredom setting in, much like a child no longer amused by a toy.
I think in the case of this weed smoking, caffeine chugging guy it may have been his abstinence from these drugs which may have given a heightened sense of consciousness. Hell, I just took two weeks off work of which I spent one week mostly blazed. A day after stopping with the dubes things were definately looking clearer.

]]> By: whatever http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/#comment-19018 whatever Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:53:56 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=393#comment-19018 Dr. Hughes beliefs appear to start out just fine: "... the volume of blood in the brain controls ones degree and state of consciousness. Dr Hughes believed humans have been robbed of a high range of consciousness because we began to walk upright, putting the heart below the brain." Dr. Hughes beliefs appear to start out just fine: “… the volume of blood in the brain controls ones degree and state of consciousness. Dr Hughes believed humans have been robbed of a high range of consciousness because we began to walk upright, putting the heart below the brain.”

]]> By: Kao_Valin http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/#comment-17000 Kao_Valin Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:17:55 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=393#comment-17000 [quote]Dr. Evil said: "Why does the guy in the picture have a funnel on his head?"[/quote] That is the place god speaks into and tells him to do other goofy medical practices. I can just imagine the person who came up with trepanation as a medical practice. He and his buddies were probably drunk, sitting around bullshitting. Then someone said "hey next time someone complains lets just drill a hole in their head" Then they all laughed and threw up their meat. Then the "doctor" that didnt drink that night took it seriously and went trep' crazy on the hung over bunch. [quote]Dr. Evil said: “Why does the guy in the picture have a funnel on his head?”[/quote]

That is the place god speaks into and tells him to do other goofy medical practices. I can just imagine the person who came up with trepanation as a medical practice. He and his buddies were probably drunk, sitting around bullshitting. Then someone said “hey next time someone complains lets just drill a hole in their head” Then they all laughed and threw up their meat. Then the “doctor” that didnt drink that night took it seriously and went trep’ crazy on the hung over bunch.

]]> By: Dr. Evil http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/#comment-11239 Dr. Evil Fri, 22 Dec 2006 00:38:14 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=393#comment-11239 <p>Why does the guy in the picture have a funnel on his head?</p> Why does the guy in the picture have a funnel on his head?

]]> By: Calpurnia3 http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/#comment-7819 Calpurnia3 Tue, 08 Aug 2006 10:35:00 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=393#comment-7819 <p>One thing: Trepanation only refers to a drilled hole in the head. Trephination is any deliberatly cut hole in the head, such as the stone cut holes from the Neolithic. There are archaeologic examples from almost every geological area in the world. A good reference to get the "real" story on trephination is Ortner's Identification of Pathological Conditions in Human Skeletal Remains. And it includes some lovely pictures.</p> One thing: Trepanation only refers to a drilled hole in the head. Trephination is any deliberatly cut hole in the head, such as the stone cut holes from the Neolithic. There are archaeologic examples from almost every geological area in the world. A good reference to get the “real” story on trephination is Ortner’s Identification of Pathological Conditions in Human Skeletal Remains. And it includes some lovely pictures.

]]> By: bibliophilesv http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/#comment-5940 bibliophilesv Sun, 04 Jun 2006 22:05:21 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=393#comment-5940 <p>Another interesting account of modern day trepanation can be found in the Amok Journal: A Compendium of Psycho-physiological Investigations ( which also has other interesting stuff like autoerotic deaths and self mutilation/amputee fetishes.) There is an interview of Dr. Bart Hughes by his "disciple" Joey Mellen who also trepanated himself in the 70's along with his companion Amanda Felding. Mellen wrote a book about the experience called Bore Hole and there is video footage of Amandas trepanation entitled Heartbeat in the Brain. Even more interesting is Dr. Bart Hughes theories of the relation of his blood volume theory to LSD and other hallucinogens. Even if these readings dont make you want to go out and drill a hole in your head they at least give good advice on how to potentially ward off a bad trip.</p> Another interesting account of modern day trepanation can be found in the Amok Journal: A Compendium of Psycho-physiological Investigations ( which also has other interesting stuff like autoerotic deaths and self mutilation/amputee fetishes.) There is an interview of Dr. Bart Hughes by his “disciple” Joey Mellen who also trepanated himself in the 70′s along with his companion Amanda Felding. Mellen wrote a book about the experience called Bore Hole and there is video footage of Amandas trepanation entitled Heartbeat in the Brain. Even more interesting is Dr. Bart Hughes theories of the relation of his blood volume theory to LSD and other hallucinogens. Even if these readings dont make you want to go out and drill a hole in your head they at least give good advice on how to potentially ward off a bad trip.

]]> By: Hayley http://www.damninteresting.com/the-hole-story-on-trepanation/#comment-5598 Hayley Thu, 25 May 2006 03:59:53 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=393#comment-5598 <p>Hmm...that article about the guy who performed his own trepanation is pretty cool. It makes me vaguely interested in the procedure...but...not really. The idea of pressure being relieved is sort of interesting, but it doesn't seem like one tiny hole on one side would really be that effective. Maybe if you remove the whole skull around it...or fill it with a whole bunch of holes (I hear that's not entirely uncommon either...in trepanation circles, of course), it would have more of an effect. But then there would be less blood flow because there would be less tissue carrying it....</p> Hmm…that article about the guy who performed his own trepanation is pretty cool. It makes me vaguely interested in the procedure…but…not really. The idea of pressure being relieved is sort of interesting, but it doesn’t seem like one tiny hole on one side would really be that effective. Maybe if you remove the whole skull around it…or fill it with a whole bunch of holes (I hear that’s not entirely uncommon either…in trepanation circles, of course), it would have more of an effect. But then there would be less blood flow because there would be less tissue carrying it….

]]>