ndreds of years. "Roman gladiators and knights in medieval jousts used stimulants after sustaining injury in order to continue the combat." In these cases, it is known that these gladiators uses herbs and dried figs and even when as far as using the rear hooves of an Abyssinian ass, ground up, boiled in oil, and flavored with rose petals and rose hips to improve performance. (Donohoe, Johnson 2) There are many types of advanced chemicals that may be use in this day and age to effect performance such as painkillers, stimulants, and anabolic steroids to name a few. A big problem in the sports world with regards to performance enhancing drugs are painkillers. Every sport is affected by these so-called needed drugs. There are cases where boxers are massaged with an ointment mixture containing cocaine to provide some sort of anesthesia during fights. (Donohoe, Johnson 4) There are many drugs blunt the bodies ability to feel pain and since sports demand a person to train longer, harder, and earlier in life, these drugs are always in demand. Pain is a reaction of the body to warn us that we need to take it easy. (Nelson 84) Most athletes take analgesic to ease the discomfort and enable them to continue. (Donohoe, Johnson 94). Football is a sport where these drugs are over used. In this sport, a person is put in dangerous situations that have the ability to seriously hurt an athlete. If an athlete is given a painkiller due to one of these situations, the athlete continues, not knowing that more injury can come result if the problem persists. Since the athlete does not feel the pain, than he is ready to win the game. You may not realize it, but everyone has some form of painkillers at their disposal. Aprain is a form of painkiller the people use for mild pain and aches and also may be very hurtful if abused. Morphine and codeine are other types of drugs used by athletes to help them feel no pain. These drugs are very dangerous an...
