Ancient Egyptian Medicine
- Created by: Megan Smyth
- Created on: 17-12-13 20:19
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- Ancient Egyptians
- Ancient Egyptians had writing, so ideas could be recorded and communicated better than prehistoric societies
- Egyptians had gods that controlled all aspects of life, including illness and medicine
- Sekhmet = goddess of war, who also sent/cured epidemics
- Thoth = god who gave doctors their ability to cure people
- Imhotep = was the Pharaoh Zoser's doctor (doctors were well-respected), then adopted as a god of healing
- Amulets, charms and rituals were used to avoid and cure illness
- Priests kept the Books of Thoth = contained spells, potions and procedures
- Some of the drugs used by Egyptians, including opium, are still used today
- Diagnosis
- Diagnosis = observation of a patient and the recognition of their symptoms
- Egyptian writings demonstrate that Egyptians included diagnosis in their medical rituals
- Mummification
- Believed human body would be needed by a person in the afterlife = preserved bodies (mummification)
- Prepared bodies by extracting soft organs (e.g. brain and intestines), the drying (desiccating) what remained with salt = some knowledge of anatomy
- Believed destroying someone's body meant they wouldn't go to the afterlife, so experimental dissection was out = limited amount of knowledge that could be gained
- Non-spiritual causes suggested
- River Nile led some Egyptians to believe that, like Nile delta or their irrigation systems, the body was full of channels
- Thought if channels were blocked = disease. Led them to use vomiting/purging/bleeding to clear various passages
- Egyptians understood importance of diet - medical procedures included recommended foods
- River Nile led some Egyptians to believe that, like Nile delta or their irrigation systems, the body was full of channels
- Surgery
- Egyptian papyrus (1600BC) outlines some simple surgical procedures
- Carvings in temple of Kom Ombo show variety of surgical instruments
- Willow used after surgery to treat wounds; contains salicylic acid = mild antiseptic
- Cleanliness
- Valued cleanliness
- Developed mosquito nets = some protection from malaria
- Hygiene had a religious significance. Priests washed more often than others and shaved their whole bodies before ceremonies
- Egyptian toilets found, but did not have water-fed sewers = emptied manually
- Thought if channels were blocked = disease. Led them to use vomiting/purging/bleeding to clear various passages
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