One Woman’s Nose and Two Men’s Hubris: a Nasogenital Tale

One woman’s nose and two men’s hubris: a nasogenital tale

A bizarre theory (and a gory surgery) in fin-de-siècle Vienna help us get a grip on how science and medicine actually work

A Nasogenital Tale - 3 Quarks Daily

Urte Laukaityte at Aeon Magazine: In Vienna, in late February 1895, a 30-year-old woman, Emma Eckstein, is about to undergo an operation. She has recently complained of a few health problems – mostly stomach pain and discomfort, some sadness, especially around her period. Luckily, a young Berlin doctor by the name of Wilhelm Fliess is there to help. He comes highly recommended by a long-time trusted family friend, himself a reputable physician, …