{"id":9373,"date":"2023-10-22T20:40:12","date_gmt":"2023-10-22T19:40:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/?p=9373"},"modified":"2023-10-22T20:40:12","modified_gmt":"2023-10-22T19:40:12","slug":"what-were-mouse-brains-used-for-in-ancient-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/what-were-mouse-brains-used-for-in-ancient-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"What Were Mouse Brains Used For In Ancient Rome"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ancient Romans had many solutions to problems and always explored new ideas, which extended to the use of mouse brains in their studies. The mice were sacrificed in order to make use of their now extinct talents and experts in the field have suggested that the ancient Romans had an understanding of brain anatomy and alternative medicine, beyond what was known at the time. Many believe these early experiments led to fundamental understandings in neuroscience and may have even contributed towards the later development of treatments such as cognitive behaviour therapy.<\/p>\n
In the early age of Ancient Rome, medicines were made from the fat and brain matter of mice, as well as snakes, toads and other small animals. The mouse was considered a sacred animal amongst many civilisations, most notably the Ancient Greeks and Romans, and as such, their brain matter was thought to hold both practical and magical properties. This use of mice to create medical remedies was continued for over 400 years, particularly for the cure of toothache and warts. The process of application was varied, from burying the mouse under the threshold of a door to ensuring it was the last animal to cross a bridge, depending on the preference of the practitioner.<\/p>\n
Alongside Ancient Romans’ use of animals in medicine, mice were also known to feature in pagan rituals. Scholars claim that ancient Roman people believed that mice had access to the spirit world and any spell cast using a mouse was more powerful. Many of these rituals made use of the mouse’s brain, heart and blood, particularly in sorcery against enemies. The animals were often raised in captivity, only being released when the ritual was to commence in order to prevent them from scattering.<\/p>\n