Medicine in the Ancient Egypt

1. Medicine in the Ancient Egypt

2. Geographic position

3. Historical cross section

4. Historical cross section

5. The first physician • Around 2650 b.C. • Imhotep – King Djoser’s Chancellor • Chancellor of the King of Lower Egypt, First in line after the King of Upper Egypt, Administrator of the Great Palace, Hereditary nobleman, High Priest of Heliopolis, Builder, Chief Carpenter, Chief Sculptor and Maker of Vases in Chief • Later he was deificated

6. Reliefs • Around 2550. b.C. – the “nose” doctor has cured the pharaoh, who was suffering from upper respiratory tract disease • End of the third millenium b.C. – circumcision

7. Medical Papyri • 19th century b.C. Kahun Gynecological Papyrus • 17th century b.C. Edwin Smith papyrus • 16th century b.C. Ebers papyrus Hears papyrus • Berlin papyrus • London papyrus

8. Archeology • 14 century b.C. • Akhen Aten (Horizon of the Aten) – the new capital • Built as the “green town” with many parks and gardens • Sewer system – through the middle of the city ran a canal

9. State archive • First in Egypt • Clay plates written in Acadian • King of Mitanni sent to cure to Amenophis III the picture of godess Ishtar

10. Homeric epic poems • around 800 b.C. • Homer mentioned medicinal plants from Egypt • Potion of oblivion - probably extracts of poppy

11. Herodotus • around 450 b.C. • specialties - for eyes, teeth, stomach, internal diseases, anus • nets are protecting them from mosquitos • food – fish and broad bean are forbidden

12. Diseases and drugs

13. Inflammation • Bigger wounds and fractures were often infected – willow leaves and crusts • Oral infections - resin called "olibanum“ • Teeth were cleaned with mixture of quartz, clay and honey • Barm was used for skin infections • Mould bread on wound with pus

14. Tuberculosis – found on the skelets • Mastoiditis • Pus focal points in oral cavity – pus was extracted from tooth throug a small incision. Myrth was used to kill pain • Honey and milk were used for upper respiratory tract problems

15. Oftalmology • Inlammations were often as sand, flies and sludgy water were parts of every day life • Crunched cow liver and gall bladder • Against trachoma – clay and copper • Eye was flushed with urin • Legend – Ra is checking Horus vision

16. Aterosclersis and obesity • Ramses II – aterosclerosis was the cause of death • Amenophis III and Ramses III were obesed and their arteries were plaqued

17. Infectiousdiseases • Pox and leprosy found on mummies • Work camps - epidemies - onion, garlic and radish were distributed • 1948 active supstances were isolated from radish, later also from garlic and onion • Schistosoma eggs found

18. Gall and urinary stones • Gout – white beds on fingers • Reumatic articular changes

19. Tumori • Bone tumors • Kahun papyrus - uterus cancer

20. Edwin Smith papyrus • Around 17 th century b.C. describes surgery • Probably written in Imhotep’s time • 5 meters long, 48 cure instructions • Fixation of fractures with bovine bones and bandages emerged in pitch • Brain and fontanelles mentioned for the first time • Wounds were sawn • Puls – from the heart

21. Ebers papyrus • 16th century b.C. • 20,23 m long • Burning wounds • Poppy – source of opium, morphia, codein and papaverin • Belladona – scopolamin – narcotic • Ducts from the heart into other organs ( passing through them: air, blood, slime, food, semen and feces)

22. Kahun ginekološki papirus • 19th century b.C. • 34 paragraphs • “fry” odour • contraception made of acacia, date fruit and honey • Gender prediction – barley or wheat • Egyptian women gave birth in squatting position