Ancient Egyptian Medicine and Surgery

PP Dr Shan, a man of varied interests, who always amazes his club members, this time round gave a rather interesting talk on “Ancient Egyptian Medicine & Surgery.” The speaker was introduced by PP Dev Chellam, who revealed, much to the astonishment of all present that Dr Shan has 45 years experience as a general practicioner and 35years experience as a surgeon.

Medical knowledge in ancient Egypt had an excellent reputation, and rulers of other empires would ask the Egyptian pharaoh to send them their best physician to treat their loved ones. Egyptians had some knowledge of human anatomy.

Egyptian physicians were aware of the existence of the pulse and of a connection between pulse and heart. The author of the Smith Papyrus even had a vague idea of a cardiac system, although not of blood circulation and he was unable, or deemed it unimportant, to distinguish between blood vessels, tendons, and nerves. They developed their theory of “channels” that carried air, water and blood to the body by analogies with the River Nile; if it became blocked, crops became unhealthy and they applied this principle to the body: If a person was unwell, they would use laxatives to unblock the “channels”. Egyptian physicians were aware of the existence of the pulse and of a connection between pulse and heart. Quite a few medical practices were effective, such as many of the surgical procedures given in the Edwin Smith papyrus.

Surgery was a common practice among physicians as treatment for physical injuries. The Egyptian physicians recognized three categories of injuries; treatable, contestable, and untreatable ailments. Treatable ailments; the surgeons would quickly set it to right. Contestable ailments were those where the victim could presumably survive without treatment, so patients assumed to be in this category were observed and . If they survived then surgical attempts could be made to fix them. Surgical tools uncovered in archaeosites have included knives, hooks, drills, forceps, pinchers, scales, spoons, saws and a vase with burning incense.

Circumcision of the males was likely the norm. The only known depiction of the procedure, in the The Tomb of the Physician, burial place of Ankh-Mahor at Saqquarra, shows adolescents or adults. Prosthetics, such as artificial toes and eyeballs, were also used; typically, they served little more than decorative purposes.

The extensive use of surgery, mummification practices, and autopsy as a religious exercise gave Egyptians a vast knowledge of the body’s morphology, and even a considerable understanding of organ functions. The function of most major organs were correctly presumed —for example, blood was correctly guessed to be a transpiration medium for vitality and waste which is not to far from its actual role in carrying oxygen and removing carbon dioxide-with the exception of the heart and brain whose functions were switched.

Dentistry was an important field, as an independent profession. It dated from the early third millennium BC.

Magic and religion were an integral part of everyday life in ancient Egypt. Evil gods and demons were thought to be responsible for many ailments, so often the treatments involved a supernatural element, such as beginning treatment with an appeal to a deity.

The impact of the emphasis on magic is seen in the selection of remedies or ingredients for them. Ingredients were sometimes selected seemingly because they were derived from a substance, plant or animal that had characteristics which in some way corresponded to the symptoms of the patient. This is known as the principle of simila similibus (“similar with similar”) and is found throughout the history of medicine up to the modern practice of homeopathy.

The ancient Egyptian word for doctor is “wabau”. This title has a long history. The earliest recorded physician in the world, Hesy-Ra, practiced in ancient Egypt. He was “Chief of Dentists and Physicians” to King Djoser, who ruled in the 27th century BC. The lady Peseshet (2400 BC) may be the first recorded female doctor: she was possibly the mother of Akhethotep, and on a stela dedicated to her in his tomb she is referred to as imy-r swnwt, which has been translated as “Lady Overseer of the Lady Physicians” (swnwt is the feminine of swnw).

There were many ranks and specializations in the field of medicine. Royalty employed their own swnw, even their own specialists. There were inspectors of doctors, overseers and chief doctors. Known ancient Egyptian specialists are ophthalmologist, gastroenterologist, proctologist, dentist, “doctor who supervises butchers” and an unspecified “inspector of liquids”. The ancient Egyptian term for proctologist, neru phuyt, literally translates as “shepherd of the anus”.

Institutions, so called Houses of Life, are known to have been established in ancient Egypt since the 1st Dynasty and may have had medical functions, being at times associated in inscriptions with physicians, such as Peftauawyneit and Wedjahorresnet living in the middle of the first millennium BC. By the time of the 19th Dynasty their employees enjoyed such benefits as medical insurance, pensions and sick leave.

 

IPP Dr Siva thanked the speaker for taking time off his busy schedule to prepare for this rather unusual topic…
The two funnel inhalation bottle; used to treat respiratory problems

 

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