When the Greek sponge divers started using surface supplied standard diving suits (locally called scaphandro) in 1865 the death and injury rate from decompression sickness was extremely high as the procedures for safe decompression were as yet unknown. Some estimates put the death toll at around 10,000 Mediterranean divers in the first 50 years of surface supplied diving. [5]

Interesting. So much scientific progress is earned with blood. That’s an odd example for that.