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Medical papyri are ancient Egyptian texts written on papyrus which permit a glimpse at medical procedures and practices in ancient Egypt. The papyri give details on disease, diagnosis, and remedies of disease, which include herbal remedies, surgery, and magical spells. It is thought there were more medical papyri, but many have been lost due to grave robbing. The largest study of the medical papyri to date has been undertaken by Berlin University and was titled Medizin der alten Ägypter ("Medicine of ancient Egypt").[1]
Early Egyptian medicine was based mostly on a mixture of magic and religious spells. Most commonly "cured" by use of amulets or magical spells, the illnesses were thought to be caused by spiteful behavior or actions. Afterwards, doctors performed various medical treatments if necessary. The instructions for these medical rituals were later inscribed on papyrus scrolls by the priests performing the actions. [2]
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Major papyri
Edwin Smith Papyrus
The Edwin Smith Papyrus is thought to be the earliest medical text known to date and is the most detailed and sophisticated of the extant medical papyri. The papyrus takes its name from the Egyptian archaeologist Edwin Smith who purchased it in the 1860's.[3] The papyrus covers 17 pages and concentrates on issues relating to trauma, with diagnosis and treatment methods also being discussed. [1] An important aspect of the text is that it shows that the heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, ureters, and bladder were all known to the Egyptians, along with the fact that the blood vessels were connected to the heart.
Ebers Papyrus
The Ebers Papyrus was also purchased by Edwin Smith in 1862. It takes its name from Georg Ebers who purchased the papyrus in 1872. The papyrus dates to around 1550BC and covers 110 pages, making it the lengthiest of the medical papyri. [1] The papyrus covers many different topics including; dermatology, digestive diseases, traumatic diseases, dentistry and gynecological conditions. It makes many references to treating ailments with spells or religious techniques.[4] One of the most important findings of this papyrus are the references to migraines which shows the condition dates back to this time.[5]
Kahun Papyrus
The Kahun Gynecological Papyrus was found by Flinders Petrie in 1889. The papyrus deals with female problems, specifically gynecological related conditions.[1] It is dated to around 1825 BC. The papyrus contains 35 separate paragraphs. The major concern of the papyrus are diseases related to the reproductive organs and deals specifically with disease during pregnancy. [4]
Hearst Papyrus
The Hearst Papyrus was offered in 1901 to the Hearst Expedition in Egypt. It is dated around 2000 BC, though doubts subsist about its authenticity. It concentrated on treatments for problems dealing with the urinary system, blood, hair, and bites. It has been extensively studied since its publication in 1905.[1][6]
Other papyri
Other medical papyri have been found but researched to a lower degree, including:
- The Chester Beatty Medical Papyrus – This papyrus is named after Sir Alfred Chester Beatty who donated 19 papyri to the British Museum. The remedies in these texts are generally related to magic and focus on conditions that involve headaches and anorectal ailments.[1]
- The London Medical Papyrus – This is located in the British Museum and dates back to Tutankhamun. Although in poor condition, study of it has found it to focus on magical spells as remedy for disease.[1]
- The Ramesseum Papyri – These consist of 17 individual papyri that were found in the great temple of the Ramesseum. They concentrate on the eyes, gynecology, paediatrics, muscles and tendons.[1][7]
- The Carlsberg Papyrus – It is the property of the Carlsberg Foundation. The papyrus covers diseases of the eye and pregnancy.[1]
- The Berlin Papyrus – Acquired by Giuseppe Passalacqua, the Berlin Papyrus consists of 24 pages and is very similar to the Ebers Papyrus. Later sold to Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia with other objects in 1827 for the Berlin Museum, the Berlin Papyrus was translated into German in 1909.[1]
- The Brooklyn Papyrus – Focusing mainly on snakebites, the Brooklyn Papyrus speaks of remedial methods for poisons obtained from snakes, scorpions, and tarantulas. The Brooklyn Papyrus currently resides in the Brooklyn Museum.[1][8]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k indigo.ie - Ancient Egyptian Medical Papyri, retrieved 24 October 2007
- ^ www.egyptologyonline.com - Egyptian medicine, retrieved 26 October 2007
- ^ osiriweb.com - The papyrus page, retrieved 24 October 2007
- ^ a b crystalinks.com - Ancient Egyptian Medicine - Smith Papyrus - Ebers Papyrus, retrieved 24 October 2007
- ^ migrainesandheadaches.com - A brief history of migraines, retrieved 24 October 2007
- ^ tebtunis.berkeley.edu - The Hearst Medical Papyrus - Hearst Papyrus, retrieved 25 October 2007
- ^ www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk - The Ramesseum Papyri - Ramesseum Papyri, retrieved 26 October 2007
- ^ aic.stanford.edu - The Brooklyn museum, retrieved 26 October 2007
Further reading
- Leake, Chauncey (1952). The Old Egyptian Medical Papyri. University of Kansas.
See also
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