Ancient Egyptian MedicineThe skills of the ancient Egyptians in preserving bodies through mummification are well known, but their expertise in the everyday medical practices needed to treat the living is less familiar and often misinterpreted. John F. Nunn draws on his own experience as an eminent doctor of medicine and an Egyptologist to reassess the evidence. He has translated and reviewed the original Egyptian medical papyri and has reconsidered other sources of information, including skeletons, mummies, statues, tomb paintings and coffins. Illustrations highlight symptoms of similar conditions in patients ancient and modern, and the criteria by which the Egyptian doctors made their diagnoses - many still valid today - are evaluated in the light of current medical knowledge. In addition, an appendix listing all known named doctors contains previously unpublished additions from newly translated texts. Spells and incantations and the relationship of magic and religion to medical practice are also explored. Incorporating the most recent insights of modern medicine and Egyptology, the result is the most comprehensive and authoritative general book to be published on this fascinating subject for many years. |
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User Review - Coobeastie - LibraryThingThorough, understandable, well referenced and a good number of pictures. Great book - though I haven't read the newer works on the subject, so can't compare it to them. Read full review
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Contents
Preface | 6 |
Concepts of anatomy physiology and pathology | 42 |
Magic and religion in medicine | 96 |
7 | 114 |
Surgery trauma and dangerous animals | 163 |
Specialised branches of medicine | 191 |
Epilogue | 206 |
| 227 | |
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Common terms and phrases
ancient Egypt ancient Egyptians animal appears applied bandage believed belly Berlin bite blood body bone breast British canopic jar cause Chapter clear common concerned condition considered contains contents described determinative difficult disease doctors drugs Dynasty early Ebers papyrus Edwin Smith papyrus effect Egypt Egyptian word evidence examine example eyes fracture Gardiner give Gloss Greek Grundriss head heart hieroglyphs honey Horus human identified important incantations indicate infection injury Kahun papyrus king Kingdom known listed magic major meaning medical papyri medicine mentioned metu mouth mummy Museum Old Kingdom pain paragraphs passage patient perhaps Period Persian physician plant possible practice preparation present priest probably refer relation relief remains remedies role schistosomiasis seems shown shows skull snake specific suggested surgical swelling swnw Table texts tion tomb translated treat treatment unknown usually worms wound written
References to this book
Bibliographic information
| Title | Ancient Egyptian Medicine |
| Author | John F. Nunn |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | University of Oklahoma Press, 2002 |
| ISBN | 0806135042, 9780806135045 |
| Length | 240 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / Middle East / Egypt Medical / History |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |