I chose this subject because I have an interest in scientific discoveries and the way humans push the boundaries of knowledge. I was especially fascinated by the passion and dedication of scientists who were willing to take extraordinary risks, even using their own bodies as experimental subjects, to uncover new scientific insights and contribute to the advancement of humanity.
Ranking these experiments was challenging because each one reflects a unique level of courage, risk and scientific dedication. I attempted to rank them mainly according to the degree of risk and boldness involved.
In 1921, surgeon Evan O'Neill Kane performed an appendectomy on himself under local anesthesia to test whether major surgery could be performed without general anesthesia. The operation succeeded and demonstrated that local anesthesia could be used for certain major procedures.
In 1929, Werner Forssmann inserted a catheter through a vein in his arm and advanced it into the right atrium of his own heart while awake, then confirmed its position using X-rays. The experiment proved that the heart could be accessed through blood vessels and became the foundation of modern cardiac catheterization.
In 1885, Daniel Alcides Carrión inoculated himself with material taken from skin lesions of an infected patient to test whether two forms of the disease were actually the same illness. He developed the disease and died, but his experiment supported that the two conditions were different stages of the same infection.
In 1900, Jesse Lazear allowed an infected mosquito to bite him to test the hypothesis that mosquitoes transmitted yellow fever. He became infected and died, and his work contributed to proving mosquito transmission of the disease.
Between 1802 and 1803, Stubbins Ffirth exposed himself to materials taken from yellow fever patients to test whether the disease spread through direct contact. He did not become ill, but his conclusion that yellow fever was not contagious was later proven incorrect.
In 1892, Max von Pettenkofer swallowed a culture of live cholera bacteria to test his idea that the bacteria alone were insufficient to cause disease. He did not develop severe illness, but the experiment became one of the most famous examples of human self-experimentation.
In 1944, Claude Barlow deliberately infected himself with the parasite Schistosoma haematobium to study the progression of infection inside the human body. The experiment contributed to understanding the stages of the disease and parasite development.
In 1903, Henry Head allowed sensory nerves in his arm to be surgically cut to study how sensation returned after nerve injury. He followed the recovery process for years and provided important insights into the nervous system.
In 1901, Pierre Curie exposed his skin to radium to study the effects of radioactive substances on living tissue. The exposure caused a skin injury and contributed to understanding the biological effects of radiation.
In 1954, John Paul Stapp tested human tolerance to extreme acceleration and deceleration using a rocket-powered sled. His experiments helped improve safety systems for pilots and high-speed vehicles.
John Scott Haldane exposed himself to dangerous mine gases such as carbon monoxide to study their effects on breathing and blood. His experiments helped improve understanding of gas poisoning and mine safety.
Waldemar Haffkine tested experimental cholera and plague vaccines on himself before wider human use. These experiments contributed to the early development of protective vaccines against infectious diseases.
In 1984, Barry Marshall swallowed a culture of Helicobacter pylori to test the hypothesis that the bacterium caused gastritis and peptic ulcers. He developed gastritis and treated himself, and the experiment helped transform the understanding and treatment of ulcers.
In 1943, Albert Hofmann took LSD, the substance he had discovered, to study its effects on humans. His experience became the first systematic description of LSD's effects on perception and consciousness.
In 1898, August Bier participated in early spinal anesthesia experiments on himself and his assistant to study the effects of the technique. These experiments helped develop spinal anesthesia for surgical use.
In 1847, James Young Simpson and his colleagues inhaled chloroform to study its anesthetic effects. Their experiment contributed to the adoption of chloroform in surgical anesthesia.
In 1884, Carl Koller tested cocaine on the eye to investigate its potential as a local anesthetic. His work led to the beginning of local anesthesia in eye surgery.
In 1799, Humphry Davy inhaled nitrous oxide to study its effects on pain, sensation, and consciousness. His observations helped reveal the properties of the gas and its effects on the human mind.
In 1844, Horace Wells used nitrous oxide during a tooth extraction experiment to test whether it could reduce pain. The experiment contributed to the early development of dental anesthesia.
Between 1939 and 1940, John Crandon stopped taking vitamin C to study the stages of deficiency. He developed signs of scurvy, helping researchers understand the role of vitamin C in the body.
In 1962, Victor Herbert deprived himself of folate to study the effects of deficiency on blood formation. The experiment helped demonstrate the importance of folate in producing blood cells.
In 1953, Jonas Salk tested the early polio vaccine on himself and his family before large-scale trials. It was an early step toward broader human testing of the vaccine.
In 1916, Joseph Goldberger participated in experiments known as "Filth Parties," exposing himself and colleagues to materials from pellagra patients to test whether the disease was contagious. The experiments showed that pellagra was linked to nutrition rather than infection.
In 1962, Michel Siffre lived in a dark cave for 63 days without clocks or natural light to study the effects of isolation on human time perception. The experiment contributed to understanding the human biological clock.
In 1896, George Stratton wore glasses that inverted his visual field to study the brain's ability to adapt to altered perception. The experiment demonstrated the adaptability of human visual processing.