On a book called "The Alarming History Of Medicine"

Doctor's that were the fastest at amputation were ideal, because they didn't have anesthesia. Another fun fact: The first good anesthesia was used by a surgeon that did an operation on himself. His assistant had to smack him occasionally to keep him from passing out.

The best part of this story, and I'm dead serious you can look it up, is that in the process, the doctor accidentally cut off the patients testicles