Tobacco Smoke Enemas and ObamaCare
The medical apparatus you see above has recently been reintroduced in Washington D.C. by the Obama Administration.
It is quite a strange old tool - do you know what it is? Believe it or not, it is now an essential and integral part of the New Health Care Program: allow me to present the Tobacco Smoke Enema Machine (1750s-1810s):
I kid you not - the tobacco enema was used to infuse tobacco smoke into a patient's rectum for various medical purposes, primarily the resuscitation of drowning victims. A rectal tube inserted into the anus was connected to a fumigator and bellows that forced the smoke towards the rectum. The warmth of the smoke was thought to promote respiration.
One email tells us that doubts about the credibility of tobacco enemas led to the popular phrase "blow smoke up one's ass."
And just as there were many who actually believed in the efficacy of this treatment a few centuries ago, medical practitioners included, so too today we find many in this country who believe that socialized medicine is a good way to deliver efficient and affordable medical services to the greatest number of the population. I can only conclude that the passing of time has not eradicated the gullible and ignorant among us.
