Childbirth and chainsaws. Aside from being an excellent name for a metal band, these are two words that most people would never hope would meet. The chainsaw, originally called the osteotome, was originally invented for the purpose of cutting bone. Specifically, the pelvic bone. Specifically, during childbirth. Back when pelvises were often malformed due to diseases like rickets, and caesareans sections were still pretty dicey, the symphysiotomy improved survival for baby and mother during complicated births. If a woman was experiencing an obstructed labour, the pelvis could be widened by literally sawing through the cartilage that holds it together and stretching it apart, increasing the diameter by a couple of centimetres. This would allow a larger baby to pass through but, as you can imagine, is a totally horrific experience. It is sometimes still used today when a caesarean section is not an option. There has also been a high-profile case in Ireland in which the procedure was carried out on over 1,500 women without their consent as an alternative to caesareans. This is thought to be because Catholic women were expected to have large families, and those who have had a caesarean section are generally limited to three. Needless to say, it's a really bad idea to stick needles in your eyes, and this method is mostly unsuccessful.
