Tag: Ancient Egypt
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Medicine and religion in ancient Egypt
Gigi TaymourLondon, England Through the stability of ancient Egyptian society, governmental system, and organized economy, medical knowledge advanced rapidly.1 The Egyptians successfully integrated complex healthcare practices with religion, botanical cures, and surgical procedures. Although some scholars have argued that religious beliefs may have hindered the development of medicine, the documented literature such as the Ebers…
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Pharaoh’s proctologist: The Shepherd of the Rectum
Howard FischerUppsala, Sweden Ancient Egyptian medicine was based on religion, magic, and specific conceptions of human anatomy and physiology. The human body was believed to contain twenty-two “channels” (called metu) that carried blood, air, water, urine, mucus, semen, and bodily waste. These channels were arteries, veins, tendons, and nerves.1 A blockage in any channel could…