That said, we find it a bit hard to believe that no one found it strange that ...

Whenever someone says, "People in the past were such dumbasses," scholars like to point out that you have to judge history in its proper context. Take medicine, for example: Yes, people once believed diseases were caused by demons and/or witches, but remember that it all made perfect sense to them based on the available information at the time.

7 Blowing Tobacco Smoke into People's Assholes Was a Popular Cure

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For as long as humans have had buttholes, healers have been shoving various substances in there just to see what would happen. The ancient Mayans ingested hallucinogenic drugs through their rectums as a ritual journey to the spirit world. Yeah, that's what those guys are doing on the right:

Justin Kerr

"You really, really don't want to eat the brown acid."

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But then, in old-timey Europe, enemas became less about going on psychedelic anus trips and more about literally blowing smoke up your ass. We know we just used the word "literally" there, but we're afraid you still think we're kidding. Have this picture for daring to doubt us:

atomictoasters.com

"I swear to God, if you fart, I will kill you."

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The anal trumpeter in the illustration is actually using his mouth to blow tobacco smoke up the poor bastard's ass as a form of popular 18th century cure. Back then, tobacco in all of its forms was used to treat basically anything from colic to vomit, hernia, rheumatic pains, and an excess of dignity.

Even crazier, the entire practice of blowing smoke into someone's rectum comes from Native Americans, who used this method to resuscitate drowning victims (we wish we could go back and talk to the first guy who suggested this, because we have many questions for him). American settlers then borrowed this technique for bringing people back from the dead (sans their anal virginity) and with time started promoting it as the new cure-all throughout the New and Old worlds.