Question Confession Thread

lightcrystal · Post by **lightcrystal** » February 12th, 2024, 2:24 pm

A thread for any questions that you SHOULD know the answer to BUT you don't.

1. As someone who did a degree in the history of medicine this is very embarrassing.

What was the point in history when common injuries [broken ankle for instance] became repairable?
In the past a broken ankle or a broken leg must have crippled someone for the rest of their life.

Please note though that even modern medicine can't repair all injuries. I've known people with common, normal bone injuries that were not fixable and they walked with difficulty for their whole life.

2. When did wolves become extinct in Britain? 14th century? Some sources say as late as the early 1800s wolves still lived in Britain.

Don't ask AI. Unless you want answers that would make a Monty Python skit.

Post by **annise** » February 12th, 2024, 3:44 pm

No idea about the wolves but the only thing that you could ever find would be the last recorded "sighting" and it's hard to imagine it coming up in writings of the time.
As for broken limbs. I'm sure our ancient ancestors stuck straightish branches and bound them with vines or whatever was available. The results wouldn't have been great always but it would have worked sometimes.

Anne

lightcrystal · Post by **lightcrystal** » February 12th, 2024, 5:33 pm

annise wrote: ↑February 12th, 2024, 3:44 pm No idea about the wolves but the only thing that you could ever find would be the last recorded "sighting" and it's hard to imagine it coming up in writings of the time.
As for broken limbs. I'm sure our ancient ancestors stuck straightish branches and bound them with vines or whatever was available. The results wouldn't have been great always but it would have worked sometimes.

Anne

From my research the last claims of sighting wild wolves in Britain were in Yorkshire in the early 1800s. Of course I have to be skeptical. I haven't found any documented evidence. It is agreed that wolves in Britain were almost hunted to extinction in the 14th century.

Post by **annise** » February 12th, 2024, 6:52 pm

There were persistent stories of a black panther allegedly a mascot of US troops based here in the war with photos appearing in the papers of sightings. Which was probably unlikely,
And then my geologist daughter went for an early morning run at a mining camp and in the gloom a giant flightless bird appeared. Turned out someone had decided to get rich by having an Ostrich farm and just let them loose when it didn't work (for those unaware Ostriches are much bigger than Emus ). This was true.

Anne