# Bitting the Bullet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitting-the-bullet/90974 "2001-11-01T19:54:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/My_Darn_Snake_Legs)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitting-the-bullet/90974/1 "2001-11-01T19:54:51Z")
Where the heck did this saying come from? I used it in one of my classes and the prof. decided to discuss where it came from, but we never got to a definite answer. Does anyone know where it actually originated? –==the sax man==– ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitting-the-bullet/90974/2 "2001-11-01T20:15:48Z")
I’ve always thought it orginated during a wars in the last few centuries, when due to lack of easily available anaesthetic, soldiers receiving medical attention were given a bullet to bite on to stop them from screaming. The bit the bullet and just dealt with it. I just did a little research. Turns out I was right. [Two](http://www.espd.com/oxhill/Artifacts/bitebullet/bitebullet.htm) [cites](http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#BiteTheBullet). I should hang out in GQ more. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitting-the-bullet/90974/3 "2001-11-01T20:20:33Z")
Off to GQ. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitting-the-bullet/90974/4 "2001-11-01T20:22:51Z")
how much credit is the assignment worth? seriously though, here is your answer; > [@](#): > > Before the advent of ether, the first anesthetic, surgery was a pretty desperate and painful affair. > . . . > > To ease the pain the patient was given a couple of stiff belts of whiskey to numb the senses, then given a stick or lead bullet to bite down on as the surgeon went to work with knife and saw. > > . . . > > Alternatively, > > In the early 1800’s, when Britain ruled India, there were many Muslim and Hindu auxiliary soldiers attached to the British military units. > > . . . > > But the cartridges were lubricated with the fat of pigs, to allow them to slide into the barrel of the musket more easily. Both Muslim and Hindu soldiers were forbidden by religion to touch, much less ingest the meat of a pig. > > . . . > > British officers insisted that they do so anyway, and the orders " they’ll just have to bite the bullet" eventually entered the vernacular. > > Thanks to Pat Cadle > > An interesting tale - but the paper did not contain the bullet, only the gunpowder. The bullet was loaded separately. From [http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#BiteTheBullet](http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#BiteTheBullet) Ps: I googled the term ‘Origin bite the bullet’ to find this. [Quotations from copyrighted sources should be limited. I have deleted most of it. Follow the link to read the rest] [Edited by bibliophage on 11-01-2001 at 11:42 PM] ---
**Author:** ![My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/My_Darn_Snake_Legs)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitting-the-bullet/90974/5 "2001-11-01T21:38:00Z")
Thanks y’all! It’s not really an assignment, more of a general question (where I should have posted in the first place\) The prof said that he thought it was from the Navy for some reason and that it originated from lashings somehow. I thoght that sounded assanine for several reasons. I didn’t even think of lead bullets and the civil war! –==the sax man==– ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitting-the-bullet/90974/6 "2001-11-01T21:44:04Z")
**Pez** - that explanation you quoted was from the second site I linked. I’m quicker than you. Nyer Nyer Nyer 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitting-the-bullet/90974/7 "2001-11-03T03:23:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Francesca \* > \*\ ***Pez** - that explanation you quoted was from the second site I linked. I’m quicker than you. Nyer Nyer Nyer 😉 \*\* Actually I was getting ready to post it, pushed submit reply and the thread had been moved! I had to find it and repost! Until next time Francesca. signed, Pezpunk “fastest poster in the south”