From Doug Wickins: I wanted to reply in concurrence with your letter on our “world class African city”……..if JHB is world class, then what the hell is Sandton? I’ve always maintained our councillors are world class smoke blowers and then my pals from the Cape sent me this piece below……
Thought you would enjoy this educational moment in history. Do you know what it is? Give it a guess, then look below for the answer.
Hint: Used by a physician… Hint: It’s a medical kit…
Tobacco Smoke Enemas (1750s-1810s).
The tobacco enema was used to infuse tobacco smoke into a patient’s rectum for various Medical purposes, primarily the resuscitation of drowning victims.
A rectal tube inserted into the anus was connected to a fumigator and bellows that forced the smoke towards the rectum.
The warmth of the smoke was thought to promote respiration, but doubts about the credibility of tobacco enemas led to the popular phrase “Blowing smoke up your ass”.
It has been reintroduced in Johannesburg in 2014, by the ANC Administration as an integral part of the National Development Plan – a vision for 2030.
