If blockages occurred, they used laxatives to unblock them. The doctors believed that, as in irrigation, channels provide the body with routes for good health. It allowed medicine to move from entirely spiritual cures towards practical, natural ones. The “channel theory” came from observing farmers who dug out irrigations channels for their crops. However, they do not seem to have extracted teeth. drilling holes into the jaw to drain an abscess.cumin, incense, and onion to treat swollen gums.Caries and tooth decay appear to have been common. People also used dung to disperse evil spirits. Putting a plug of crocodile dung into the entrance of the vagina, for example, was a method of birth control. They advised people to wash and shave their bodies to prevent infections, to eat carefully, and to avoid unclean animals and raw fish. Some recommendations that physicians made then seem fairly sound to us now. In addition, there is evidence that doctors knew how to set broken bones and treat burns. how to surgically treat an abscess or a tumor.The ancient Egyptians appear to have seen mental diseases as a combination of blocked channels and the influence of evil spirits and angry Gods.įamily planning: The scroll contains a section on birth control, how to tell if a person is pregnant, and some other gynecological issues. Mental illness: The document describes in detail the characteristics, causes, and treatment for mental disorders such as dementia and depression. Researchers writing in 2014 described ancient Egyptian understanding of the cardiovascular system as “surprisingly sophisticated, if not accurate. The heart was the meeting point for vessels that carried tears, urine, semen, and blood. The heart: According to the Ebers Papyrus, the center of the body’s blood supply is the heart, and every corner of the body is attached to vessels. The scroll provides evidence of some sound scientific procedures.ĭoctors appear to have had fairly good knowledge about bone structure and some awareness of how the brain and liver worked. They are among the oldest preserved medical documents in existence. The authors probably wrote them around 1500 B.C.E., but the document may contain copies of material dating back to 3400 B.C.E. This document contains over 700 remedies and magical formulas and scores of incantations aimed at repelling demons that cause disease. Share on Pinterest The ancient Egyptians probably learned something about the human body through mummification. Kings and queens from faraway lands sought Egyptian doctors because of their reputation for excellence. In one process, the priest-doctor inserted a long, hooked implement through the nostril and broke the thin bone of the brain case to remove the brain. The ancient Egyptians’ practice of preserving deceased people as mummies meant that they learned something about how the human body works. They traveled long distances, coming back with herbs and spices from faraway lands. They could afford some health care and also had time to ponder and study. In addition, there were also relatively wealthy individuals in ancient Egyptian society. This stability allowed medical research to develop. Before this, the local people mainly lived a nomadic life. The ancient Egyptians had an organized economy and system of government, a settled population, social conventions, and properly enforced laws. Documented ancient Egyptian medical literature is among the oldest in existence today. The fact that ancient Egyptians had systems of letters and numbers meant they were able to record and develop ideas and make calculations. Most healers were also priests, but, in time, the profession of a “doctor of medicine” emerged. They used a combination of prayer and natural - or non-spiritual - remedies. They looked for ways to unblock these channels. The ancient Egyptians thought that gods, demons, and spirits played a key role in causing diseases.ĭoctors believed that spirits blocked channels in the body and that this affected the way the body worked. This picture shows Isis on a birthing stool, Share on Pinterest The ancient Egyptians had basic medical equipment, and they also believed that the gods controlled life and health.
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