Papiros Médicos (Ebers y Smith)

5/25/2018 Papiros M dicos (Ebers y Smith)

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Ancient Egyptian Medicine - Smith Papyrus - Ebers Papyrus

The practices of Egyptian physicians ranged from embalming, to faith healing tosurgery, and autopsy. There was not the separation of Physician, Priest and Magician in

Egypt. It would not be unusual for a patient to receive a bandage for a dog bite, forexample, a paste of berries and honey and a incantation said over the wound as well as amagical amulet for the patient to wear. Healing was an art that was addressed on manylevels.

The use of utopsy came through the extensive embalming practices of the Egyptians,as it was not unli!ely for an embalmer to examine the body for a cause of the illnesswhich !illed it. The use of surgery also evolved from a !nowledge of the basic anatomyand embalming practices of the Egyptians. "rom such careful observations made by theearly medical practitioners of Egypt, healing practices began to center upon both thereligious rituals and the lives of the ancient Egyptians.

The prescription for a healthy life, #which was almost always given by a member of thepriestly caste meant that an individual undertoo! the stringent and regular purificationrituals #which included much bathing, and often times shaving one$s head and bodyhair%, and maintained their dietary restrictions against raw fish and other animalsconsidered unclean to eat.

lso, and in addition to a purified lifestyle, it was not uncommon for the Egyptians toundergo dream analysis to find a cure or cause for illness, as well as to as! for a priest toaid them with magic, this example obviously portrays that religious magical rites and

purificatory rites were intertwined in the healing process as well as in creating a properlifestyle.

The practice of medicine was fairly advanced in ncient Egypt, with Egyptianphysicians having a wide and excellent reputation.

The Egyptians thought that most illnesses & at least those caused by no obvious accident& were the wor! of hostile powers' $an adversary male or female, a spirit or a dead

person$ and it was for this reason that magicians, as well as physicians were concernedwith curing the ills of the populace.

Insect, especially scorpion bites or sna!e bites, both very fre(uent in Egypt, were treatedby magicians, as there appears to have been no specific balm or ointment used, and aswe have records of many spells, written on papyri and magical charms devoted to thesetwo occurrences.

Much documentation exists that in addition to magicians, useful in the villages andcountryside, there existed a much less primitive form of medicine.

Texts of the time fre(uently mention doctors, oculists, dentists and other specialists,including veterinarians.

)octors and other medical personnel !ept detailed notes #on papyrus% describing thecondition encountered, and the treatment applied in all areas of medicine, including


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gynecology, bone surgery and eye complaints, the latter of which was very fre(uent inthe dry, dusty climate of the country.

Texts on anatomy and physiology exist, showing a degree of !nowledge of thewor!ings of the human body, its structure, the *ob of the heart and blood vessels,

including, the $treatise of the heart$ contained in the Ebers Papyrus. However, despite theprocess of mummification, famili+ation with the human body was not as highlydeveloped as would be expected and many fantastic and fanciful definitions anddescriptions may be found in the ncient texts.

ncient Egyptians !new little about the existence, for instance, of the !idneys and madethe heart the meeting point of a number of vessels which carried all the fluids of the

body #from blood, which is correct%, to tears, urine and sperm #which is less so%.

Many prescriptions exist today, showing treatment of many disorders and the use of avariety of substances, plant, animal, mineral, as well as the droppings and urine of a

number of animals #pelicans, hippopotami, etc.%, which were present in large numbersalong the ile. Honey and mil! were routinely prescribed by physicians for thetreatment of the respiratory system, and throat irritations. The physicians of the day!new how to use suppositories, herbal dressings and enemas and widely used castor oil.

Medications used for the urinary tract show that they, as do their modern Egyptians,suffered from bilhar+ia #a parasite%. Head in*uries were routinely, and it would appear,successfully treated by trepenning, the opening of the s!ull to relieve pressure,migraines, which were attributed to dental trouble and accidents involving the eye.Teeth were filled using a type of mineral cement, and gum disease were also treated.

-old was used to bind loose teeth, and the *aw&bone was at times perforated to drainabscesses. s eye disease was a big problem, due to dust, flies and poor hygiene, many

prescriptions have been found, to cure trachoma #endemic to this day in Egypt%, cataractand a form of night blindness. This last aliment was correctly treated using animal liver,as, to this day, extracts of liver are also used.

one surgery was particularly well developed, researching the proportions of scientificresearch. The Papyrus of Edwin /mith deals extensively with bruises of the vertebra,dislocation of the *aws, various fractures #of the clavicle, humerus, ribs, nose andcranium. Egyptians physicians also recogni+ed diseases which could not be treated' 0n

affliction for which nothing can be done0.

lthough many of the treatments used had little or no value #from our modern vantage&point%, Egyptian medicine had a well deserved reputation throughout the ncient1orld, with, for instance, Hippocrates and -alan ac!nowledging that part of theirinformation came from Egyptian wor!s which they had studied at the temple of Imhotepat Memphis.

/anctuaries of the -ods often had sanatoria attached to them, allowing physicians, andphysician&priests to treat the pilgrims, and perform 0miraculous healings0, and thepublici+ing of the cures performed by menhotep, son of Hapu, Imhotep and /erapis,

further spreading the fame of Egyptian medical science.


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Herbal 2emedies used by the ncient Egyptians

3 cacia #acacia nilotica%& vermifuge, eases diharea and internal bleeding, also used totreat s!in diseases.3 loe vera & worms, relieves headaches, soothes chest pains, burns, ulcers and for

s!in disease and allergies.3 asil #ocimum basilicum%& excellent for heart.3 alsam pple #malus sylvestris%or pple of 4erusalem & laxative, s!in allergies,soothes headaches, gums and teeth, for asthma, liver stimulant, wea! digestion.3 ayberry#Myrica cerifera% & stops diarrhea, soothes ulcers, shrin!s hemorrhoids,repels flies.3 elladonna & pain reliever5camphor tree & reduces fevers, soothes gums, soothesepilepsy.3 6araway #6arum carvi5 7mbelliferae%& soothes flatulence, digestive, breathfreshener.3 6ardamom# Eletarria cardamomum5 8ingiberacae%& 7sed as a spice in

foods,digestive, soothes flatulence.3 6olchicum #6itrullus colocynthus% & also !nown as 0Meadow /affron0, soothesrheumatism, reduces swelling.3 6ommon 4uniper tree #4uniperis phonecia5 4uniperus drupacea%& digestive, sootheschest pains, soothes stomach cramps.3 6ubeb pepper #Piper cubeba5 Piperaceae%& urinary tract infections, larynx and throatinfections, gum ulcers and infections, soothes headaches.3 )ill #nethum graveolens%& soothes flatulence, relieves dyspepsia, laxative anddiuretic properties.3 "enugree!#Trigonella foenum&graecum% & respiratory disorders, cleanses thestomach, calms the liver, soothes pancreas, reduces swelling.3 "ran!incense#oswellia carterii% & throat and larynx infections, stops bleeding, cuts

phlegm, asthma, stops vomiting.3 -arlic #llium sativa% & gives vitality, soothes flatulence and aids digestion, mildlaxative, shrin!s hemorrhoids, rids body of 0spirits0 #note, during the building of thePyramids, the wor!ers were given garlic daily to give them the vitality and strength tocarry on and perform well%.3 Henna #9awsomia inermis% & astringent, stops diarrhea, close open wounds #and usedas a dye%.3 Honey was widely used, a natural antibiotic and used to dress wounds and as a basefor healing unguants, as was castor oil, coriander,beer and other foods.

3 9icorice #-lycyrrhi+a glabra & mild laxative, expels phlegm, soothes liver, pancreasand chest and respiratory problems.3 Mustard #/inapis alba% & induces vomiting, relieves chest pains.3 Myrrh #6ommiphora myrrha% & stops diarrhea, relives headaches, soothes gums,toothaches and bac!aches.3 :nion #llium cepa% & diuretic, induces perspiration, prevents colds, soothes sciatica,relieves pains and other cardiovascular problems.3 Parsley #pium petroselinum% & diuretic.3 Mint #Mentha piperita% & soothes flatulence, aids digestion, stops vomiting, breathfreshener.3 /andalwood #/antallum albus% & aids digestion, stops diarrhea, soothes headaches

and gout #used, of course, in incense%.3 /esame #/esamum indicum%& soothes asthma.


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3 Tamarind #Tamarindus indica%& laxative.3 Thyme #Thymus;Thimbra% & pain reliever.3 Tumeric #6urcumae longa% & closes open wounds #also was used to dye s!in andcloth%.3 Poppy #papaver somniferum% & relieves insomnia, relieves headaches, anesthetic,

soothes respiratory problems, deadens pain.

& The ncient Egyptian % !nives5 #?% drill5 #@% saw5 #A% forceps or pincers5 #B% censer5 #C% hoo!s5 #D% bags tiedwith string5 #, >F% bea!ed vessel5 #>>% vase with burning incense5 #>?% Horus eyes5 #>@%scales5 #>A% pot with flowers of 7pper and 9ower Egypt5 #>B% pot on pedestal5 #>C%graduated cubit or papyrus scroll without side !not #or a case holding reed scalpels%5#>D% shears5 #>% spoons.

& ncient Egyptian


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The Edwin /mith /urgical Papyrus is, without a doubt, one if the most importantdocuments pertaining to medicine in the ancient ile DFF 6 but most of the information is based on texts writtenaround ?CAF 6 & Imhoteps time.

The papyrus appears to tal! mainly about wounds, and how to treat them, andsuprisingly little about diseases.

Placed on sale by Mustafa gha in >C?, the papyrus was purchased by Edwin /mith.n merican residing in 6airo, /mith has been described as an adventurer, a moneylender, and a dealer of anti(uities. /mith has also been reputed as advising upon, andeven practicing, the forgery of anti(uities. 1hatever his personal composition, it is tohis credit that he immediately recogni+ed the text for what it was and later carried out atentative translation. 7pon his death in >GFC, his daughter donated the papyrus in itsentirety to the ew or! Historical /ociety.

In >G@F, 4ames Henry reasted, director of the :riental Institute at the 7niversity of6hicago, published the papyri with facsimile, transcription, English translation,commentary, and introduction. The volume was accompanied by medical notes

prepared by )r. rno . 9uc!hardt. To date, the reasted translation is the only one ifits !ind.

The Edwin /mith papyrus is second in length only to the Ebers papyrus, comprisingseventeen pages #@DD lines% on the recto and five pages #G? lines% on the verso. oth therecto and the verso are written with the same hand in a style of Middle Egyptian dating.

The Ebers Papyrus


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9i!e the Edwin /mith Papyrus, the Ebers Papyrus was purchased in 9uxor by Edwin/mith in >C?. It is unclear from whom the papyrus was purchased, but it was said tohave been found between the legs of a mummy in the ssassif district of the Thebennecropolis.

The papyrus remained in the collection of Edwin /mith until at least >CG when thereappeared, in the catalog of an anti(uities dealer, and advertisement for 0a large medical

papyrus in the possession of Edwin /mith, an merican farmer of 9uxor.0#reasted>G@F% The Papyrus was purchased in >D? by the Egyptologist -eorge Ebers, for who itis named. In >DB, Ebers published a facsimile with an English&9atin vocabulary and

introduction.

The Ebers Papyrus comprises >>F pages, and is by far the most lengthy of the medicalpapyri. It is dated by a passage on the verso to the Gth year of the reign of menhotep I#c. >B@A .6.E.%, a date which is close to the extant copy of the Edwin /mith Papyrus.However, one portion of the papyrus suggests a much earlier origin. Paragraph BCastates that ' 0the boo! of driving we!hedu from all the limbs of a man was found inwritings under the two feet of nubis in 9etopolis and was brought to the ma*esty of the!ing of 7pper and 9ower Egypt )en.0#unn >GGC' @>% The reference to the 9owerEgyptian )en is a historic anachronism which suggesting an origin closer to the "irst)ynasty #c. @FFF .6.E.%

7nli!e the Edwin /mith Papyrus, the Ebers Papyrus consists of a collection of a myriadof different medical texts in a rather hapha+ard order, a fact which explains the presenceof the above mentioned excerpt. The structure of the papyrus is organi+ed by paragraph,each of which are arranged into bloc!s addressing specific medical ailments.

Paragraphs >&@ contain magical spells designed to protect from supernaturalintervention on diagnosis and treatment. They are immediately followed by a largesection on diseases of the stomach #!het%, with a concentration on intestinal parasites in

paragraphs BF&B.#ryan >G@F'BF% /!in diseases, with the remedies prescribed placed in

the three categories of irritative, exfoliative, and ulcerative, are featured in paragraphsGF&GB and >FA&>>.


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)iseases of the anus, included in a section of the digestive section, are covered inparagraphs >@?&>CA.#Ibid. BF% 7p to paragraph >D, the papyrus follows a relativelystandardi+ed format of listing prescriptions which are to relieve medical ailments.However, the diseases themselves are often more difficult to translate. /ometimes theyta!e the form of recogni+able symptoms such as an obstruction, but often may be a

specific disease term such as we!hedu or aaa, the meaning of both of which remain(uite obscure.

Paragraphs >&?FD comprise 0the boo! of the stomach,0 and show a mar!ed change instyle to something which is closer to the Edwin /mith Papyrus.#Ibid.' @?% :nly

paragraph > has a title, though all of the paragraphs include the phrase' 0if youexamine a man with a,0 a characteristic which denotes its similarity to the Edwin/mith Papyrus. "rom this point, a declaration of the diagnosis, but no prognosis. fter

paragraph ?FD, the text reverts to its original style, with a short treatise on the heart#Paragraphs ?F&?A>%.

Paragraphs ?A?&?AD contains remedies which are reputed to have been made and usedpersonally by various gods. :nly in paragraph ?AD, contained within the abovementioned section and relating to Isis$ creation of a remedy for an illness in 2a$s head, isa specific diagnosis mentioned. #ryan >G@F'AB%

The following section continues with diseases of the head, but without reference to useof remedies by the gods. Paragraph ?BF continues a famous passage concerning thetreatment of migraines. The se(uence is interrupted in paragraph ?B> with the focus

placed on a drug rather than an illness. Most li!ely an extract from pharmacopoeia, theparagraph begins' 0=nowledge of what is made from degem #most li!ely a ricinousplant yielding a form of castor oil%, as something found in ancient writings and assomething useful to man.0#unn >GGC' @@%

Paragraphs ?C>&?@ are concerned with the regular flow of urine and are followed byremedies 0to cause the heart to receive bread.0#ryan >G@F'F%. Paragraphs @FB&@@Bcontain remedies for various forms of coughs as well as the genew disease.

The remainder of the text goes on to discuss medical conditions concerning hair#paragraphs A@D&ADC%, traumatic in*uries such as burns and flesh wounds #paragraphsA?&B?G%, and diseases of the extremities such as toes, fingers, and legs. ParagraphsC?D&CGC are concerned with the relaxation or strengthening of the metu. The exact

meaning of metu is confusing and could be alternatively translated as either meanhollow vessels or muscles tissue.#Ibid.'B?%

The papyrus continues by featuring diseases of the tongue #paragraphs CGD&DFA%,dermatological conditions #paragraphs DF&D?>%, dental conditions #paragraphs D@G&DBF%, diseases of the ear, nose, and throat #paragraphs DC>&D>%, and gynecologicalconditions #paragraphs D@&@G%

=ahun -ynecological Papyrus

The =ahun Papyrus was discovered by "linders Petrie in pril of >G at the "ayum

site of 9ahun. The town itself flourished during the Middle =ingdom, principally underthe reign of menenhat II and his immediate successor.


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The papyrus is dated to this period by a note on the recto which states the date as beingthe ?Gth year of the reign of menenhat III #c. >?B .6.E.%. The text was published infacsimile, with hieroglyphic transcription and translation into English, by -riffith in>G, and is now housed in the 7niversity 6ollege 9ondon.

The gynecological text can be divided into thirty&four paragraphs, of which the firstseventeen have a common format.#unn >GGC' @A% The first seventeen start with a titleand are followed by a brief description of the symptoms, usually, though not always,having to do with the reproductive organs.

The second section begins on the third page, and comprises eight paragraphs which,because of both the state of the extant copy and the language, are almost unintelligible.)espite this, there are several paragraphs that have a sufficiently clear level of languageas well as being intact which can be understood.

Paragraph >G is concerned with the recognition of who will give birth5 paragraph ?F is

concerned with the fumigation procedure which causes conception to occur5 andparagraphs ?F&?? are concerned with contraception. mong those materials prescribedfor contraception are crocodile dung, ABml of honey, and sour mil!.

The third section #paragraphs ?C&@?% is concerned with the testing for pregnancy. :thermethods include the placing of an onion bulb deep in the patients flesh, with the

positive outcome being determined by the odor appearing to the patients nose.

The fourth and final section contains two paragraphs which do not fall into any of theprevious categories. The first prescribes treatment for toothaches during pregnancy. The

second describes what appears to be a fistula between bladder and vagina withincontinence of urine 0in an ir!some place.0

acterial and G>F% reported the presence of tuberculosis of the spine in esparehan, a priestof mun of the ?>st )ynasty. This shows the typical features of Pott$s disease withcollapse of thoracic vertebra, producing the angular !yphosis #hump&bac!%. well!nown complication of Pott$s disease is the tuberculous suppuration moving downward

under the psoas ma*or muscle, towards the right iliac fossa, forming a very large psoasabscess.#unn >GGC'CA%

2uffer$s report has remained the best authenticated case of spinal tuberculosis fromancient Egypt. ll !nown possible cases, ranging from the Predynastic to ?>st )ynastywere reviewed by Morse, roc!well, and 7c!o #>GCA% as well as by ui!stra, a!er,and 6oo!.#>GG@% These included Predynastic specimens collected at a(ada by Petrieand Juibell in >GB as well as nine ubian /pecimens from the 2oyal 6ollege of/urgeons of England. oth reviewers were in agreement that there was very little doubtthat tuberculosis was the cause of pathology in most, but not all, cases. In some cases, itwas not possible to exclude compression fractures, osteomyelitis, or bone cysts as

causes of death.


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The numerous artistic representation of hump&bac!ed individuals are provocative butnot conclusive. The three earliest examples are undoubtedly of Predynastic origin. Thefirst is a ceramic figurine reported to have been found by edu in the swan district. Itrepresents an emaciated human with angular !yphosis of the thoracic spine crouching ina clay vessel.#/chrumph&Pierron >G@@% The second possible Predynastic representation

with spinal deformity indicative of tuberculosis is a small standing ivory li!eness of ahuman with arms down at the sides of the body bent at the elbows.

The head is modeled with facial features carefully indicated. The figure is shown with aprotrusion of the bac! and on the chest.#Morse >GCD' ?C>% The last Predynastic exampleis a wooden statue contained within the russels Museum. )escribed as a bearded malewith intricate facial features, the figure has a large rounded hunch&bac! and an angular

pro*ection of the sternum.#4onc!heere >GA' ?B%

s well, there are several historic Egyptian representations which indicate thepossibility of tuberculosis deformity. :ne of the most suggestive, located in and :ld

=ingdom Ath )ynasty tomb, is of a bas relief serving girl who exhibits locali+ed angular!yphosis. second provocative example has its origin in the Middle =ingdom. tomb

painting at eni Hasan, the representation shows a gardener with a locali+ed angulardeformity of the cervical&thoracic spine.#Morse >GCD' ?C@%

Poliomyelitis

viral infection of the anterior horn cells of the spinal chord, the presence ofpoliomyelitis can only be detected in those who survive its acute stage. Mitchell#/andison >GF'@?% noted the shortening of the left leg, which he interpreted as

poliomyelitis, in the an early Egyptian mummy from )eshasheh. The club foot of thePharaoh /iptah as well as deformities in the >?th )ynasty mummy of =hnumu&e!htare probably the most attributable cases of poliomyelitis.

n >th or >Gth )ynasty funerary staele shows the door!eeper 2oma with a grosslywasted and shortened leg accompanied by an e(uinus deformity of the foot. The exactnature of this deformity, however, is debated in the medical community.

/ome favor the view that this is a case of poliomyelitis contracted in childhood beforethe completion of s!eletal growth. The e(uinus deformity, then, would be acompensation allowing 2oma to wal! on the shortened leg. lternatively, the deformity

could be the result of a specific variety of club foot with a secondary wasting andshortening of the leg.#unn >GGC' DD%

)eformities

)warfism'

)asen #>GG@% lists ?FD !nown representations of dwarfism. :f the types described, thema*ority are achondroplastic, a form resulting in a head and trun! of normal si+e withshortened limbs. The statue of /eneb is perhaps the most classic example. tomb statueof the dwarf /eneb and his family, all of normal si+e, goes a long way to indicate that

dwarfs were accepted members in Egyptian society. :ther examples called attention toby 2uffer #>G>>% include the Bth )ynasty statuette of 6hnoum&hotep from /a((ara, a


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Predynastic drawing of the 0dwarf 8er0 from bydos, and a Bth )ynasty drawing of adwarf from the tomb of )eshasheh.

/!eletal evidence, while not supporting the social status of dwarfs in Egyptian society,does corroborate the presence of the deformity. 4ones described a fragmentary

Predynastic s!eleton from the cemetery at adari with a normal shaped cranium both insi+e in shape. In contrast to this, however, the radii and ulna are short and robust, acharacteristic of achondroplasia. second case outlined by 4ones consisted of aPredynastic femur and tibia, both with typical short shafts and relatively large articularends.

& reasted, 4.H. The Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus

Magic, medicine eased ancient Egyptian headaches

4anuary ?FF? & 2euters &

6an$t beat that headacheK 1hy not try an incantation to falcon&headed Horus, or asoothing poultice of 0ss$s grease0K ccording to researchers, @,BFF&year&old papyrishow ancient Egyptians turning to both their gods and medicine to banish headache

pain.

0The border between magic and medicine is a modern invention5 such distinctions didnot exist for ancient healers,0 explain )r. xel =arenberg, a medical historian, and )r.6. 9eit+, an Egyptologist, both of the 7niversity of 6ologne, -ermany.

In a recent issue of the *ournal 6ephalalgia, the researchers report on their study ofpapyrus scrolls dating from the early ew =ingdom period of Egyptian history, about>BBF 6.

ncient Egyptian healers had only the barest understanding of anatomy or medicine.Indeed, while the head was considered the 0leader0 of the body, the brain itself wasconsidered relatively unimportant&&as evidenced by the fact that it was usually discardedduring the mummification process.

Headache, that timeless bane of humanity, was usually ascribed to the activity of0demons,0 the -erman researchers write, although over time Egyptian physicians began

to speculate that problems originating within the body, such as the incomplete digestionof food, might also be to blame.

:nce beset with a headache, those living under the pharaohs turned to their gods forhelp. :ne incantation sought to evo!e the gods$ empathy, imagining that even immortalssuffered headache pain.

0$My headL My headL$ said Horus,0 reads one papyrus. 0$The side of my headL$ saidThoth. $che of my forehead,$ said Horus. $7pper part of my foreheadL$ said Thoth.0

In this way, =arenberg and 9eit+ write, 0the patient is identified with #the gods% Horus

and Thoth,0 the latter being the god of magicians and wise men.


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The incantation continues with the sun god 2a ordering the patient to recover 0up toyour temples,0 while the patient threatens his 0headache demons0 with terrible

punishments #0the trun! of your body will be cut off0%.

/till, the gods may have ignored the pleas of many patients, who also turned to

medicine for relief. ccording to one ancient text, these included a poultice made of0s!ull of catfish,0 with the patient$s head being 0rubbed therewith for four days.0

:ther prescriptions included stag$s horn, lotus, fran!incense and a concoction madefrom don!ey called 0ss$s grease.0

Even these remedies could be divinely inspired, however. :n one A,FFF&year&old scroll,a boastful druggist claims that his headache cure is prepared by the goddess Isis herself.

Documents

Papiros Médicos (Ebers y Smith)