![]() Breasted writes about how the author of the papyrus described his observations: The papyrus also contains the first descriptions of the cerebrospinal fluid, meninges and the surface of the brain, including the gyri and sulci, as well as a description of sciatica. This was followed by careful observation of the patient’s general appearance, during which the surgeon noted the colour of the eyes and face, the condition of the skin, the quality of nasal secretions and the stiffness of the limbs and abdomen. During an examination, the patient was asked questions by the surgeon, who then counted the patient’s pulse and inspected wounds for inflammation. The Smith papyrus was translated into English in the 1920s by James Henry Breasted, who noted that it contained the earliest known use of the word ‘brain’.Ī reading of the Smith papyrus reveals the similarity between ancient Egyptian and modern diagnostic procedures. (In fact, it is believed that the ancient Greeks knew of the contents of the Edwin Smith papyrus, and used them as a basis for their writings on science and medicine.) The original document was written circa 3,000 BCE (3rd Dynasty), and has been credited to Imhotep, the real father of medicine, who lived some 2,000 years before Hippocrates. If thou examinest a man having a dislocation in his mandible, shouldst thou find this mouth open and his mouth cannot close for him, thou shouldst put thy thumbs upon the ends of the two rami of the mandible in the inside of his mouth and thy two claws under his chin, and thou shouldst cause them to fall back so they rest in their places.Īnalysis of the writing style reveals that the papyrus is a copy made by a scribe around 1,600 BCE (17th Dynasty). Case 25 describes the treatment for a dislocated jaw, in exactly the same way that medical students today are taught to treat the injury: Patients with untreatable ailments were given palliative care by the surgeon. Each case begins with a medical history and physical investigation of the patient, whose wound is categorized as “an ailment I can treat”, “an ailment I shall contend with”, or “an ailment which not to be treated”. The cases documented in the Smith papyrus are presented in a format that is very similar to that used by modern physicians. The papyrus even contains a prescription for a wrinkle remover containing urea, an ingredient of modern anti-wrinkle creams. Many of the surgical procedures and concepts described in the document are still in use today, and it seems that the ancient Egyptians had knowledge of neuroanatomy that was as detailed and advanced as that of modern medicine. Although ancient civilizations are generally regarded as primitive, the Smith papyrus demonstrates that the ancient Egyptians had highly advanced knowledge of medicine. Each of them is investigated rationally and deductively, with only one of the 48 cases being treated with magic. The papyrus, which is named after Edwin Smith, is now housed in the New York Academy of Sciences.Ģ7 of the cases documented in the Edwin Smith papyrus are head injuries, and 6 are spinal injuries. It is a textbook of surgery, containing systematic and highly detailed descriptions, diagnoses, treatments and prognoses of 48 neurosurgical and orthopaedic cases. ![]() ![]() It is the oldest known medical document written in the Middle Egyptian hieratic script, it contains 377 lines of text on the recto (front) and 92 on the verso (back). This remarkable papyrus, bought in 1862 by the American Egyptologist Edwin Smith in Luxor, Egypt, is an ancient Egyptian surgical treatise. Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.In medical knowledge, Egypt leaves the rest of the world behind.Britannica Beyond We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.COVID-19 Portal While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.Student Portal Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.From tech to household and wellness products. Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.
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