Mysteries of Ancient Medicine (2026)

S1E6 Queen Anne's Revenge, Tribal Trepanation, Thunderbolt

Medical instruments salvaged from the pirate vessel Queen Anne's Revenge reveal the brutal conditions of maritime medicine. Ancient Peruvian skulls bearing trepanation marks point to surprisingly advanced surgical techniques. Meanwhile, artifacts from the Lewis and Clark expedition show they relied on "thunderbolts," a potent drug used to endure the hardships of the American wilderness.