heroic medicine

noun

Any of the aggressive medical practices and methods used until the mid-19th century, particularly the dangerous and unproven treatments that were later replaced by scientific approaches.

“Heroic medicine included the practices of bloodletting, intestinal purging, and blistering.”

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Meanings

nounheroic medicine (countable and uncountable, plural heroic medicines)

plural heroic medicines

  1. countableuncountableAny of the aggressive medical practices and methods used until the mid-19th century, particularly the dangerous and unproven treatments that were later replaced by scientific approaches.

    Heroic medicine included the practices of bloodletting, intestinal purging, and blistering.

Cite this entry
APA

heroic medicine. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heroic%20medicine

MLA

“heroic medicine.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heroic%20medicine. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heroic medicine,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heroic%20medicine.

Source: heroic medicine on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.