Surgical anaesthesia in Ming China: scientific analysis of aconitine residues on medical instruments

The analysis of archaeological trace residues is offering expanding insights into various aspects of human (pre)history, including developments in medical knowledge. Here, the authors present results from the analysis of two medical instruments (scissors and tweezers) found in a Ming Dynasty ( c . 1368–1644 CE) tomb in Jiangyin, China. While the form and composition of the instruments themselves indicate developed understandings of tool production and use, novel application of stimulated Raman scattering microscopy reveals probable traces of aconitine, likely providing direct evidence for the use of this highly toxic substance, possibly administered as a topical anaesthetic, in ancient Chinese surgery.