"The reality is that in 6000 years of recorded civilisation there are only a very few notable female names in that historical record."
The women were supervising the jobs to get them right, and just used rough labor for the job: oxen and men.
As for cauterizing, why would some dolt use gunpowder when they could just heat up a piece of metal and use that?
The only real use for gunpowder cauterization is when your idiot BIL has an ear ache.
The more I hear about TV, the happier I am that I don't have it.
Sue