Feeling down about your art? A good friend, or in the case of the comic below, a parent, will hype you up… and occasionally drop some very weird historical facts while they’re at it.

Case in point: the phrase “blowing smoke up your ass.” Today, it means flattering someone insincerely—but in the 1700s, doctors actually did this to bring drowning victims back to life. They even had smoke-enema kits hanging along the River Thames, like old-timey defibrillators. Imagine being the guy who had to volunteer for that rescue mission.

So, next time someone says they’re not just blowing smoke—uh, maybe clarify what they mean first. Here is the comic:

[Source: Litterbox Comics | Like Litterbox Comics on Facebook | Follow Litterbox Comics on Twitter | Follow Litterbox Comics on Instagram]