Egyptian Medicine

Egyptian Medicine
Between the northern boundary of Arabian desert and the mountains of Asia Minor there was a fertile crescent of land.

There developed a great civilization known at first as “Sumerian” and latter as the Kingdoms of “Sumer” and “Akkad”.

These civilizations were sensible organizations of society consisting of leaned people, military and industrial classes of personnel.

The main sources of Egyptian medicine are the “Medical Papyri”, “Clay Tablet” and excavated material like small knives.

Archeological excavations, old manuscripts, wall writings, old painting and engravings in the doors of tombs of the burial grounds have revealed many lights.

The seal of a Sumerian physician of 3000 BC is still kept in the Welcome Museum. Similarly there is a seal of a Babylonian medical man of 2300 BC.

The earliest known picture or excavated skeleton of surgical operation during the regime of 5th dynasty (2750-2625 BC) gave evidence of well-splinted fractures and their knowledge.

The medicine chest box of an Egyptian queen of 11th dynasty containing vases, spoons, dried drugs and roots is an important finding in support of their medical thoughts.

But whatever may be the origin of medical practice it was based on magical and religious beliefs connected with the “soul” of the patients or in persuading or forcing the evil spirit which has entered the body of the patients.

What so ever the surgical methods or Trephining were used, the basic idea was to drive out the evil bound up by superstitious, incantations and this conception of supernatural phenomenon persisted for long years.

The superstitious were so great that they used to take a hair of the dog that had bitten.

Egyptian and Sumerian were staying side by side with the Palestine as an intervening country. They were culturally and commercially interlinked with each other and so also their medical beliefs and traditions.
Egyptian Medicine