The First Doctors - Ancient Egyptian Medicine, Circa 1550 BCE

 During the ancient Egyptian civilisation, the first of who from a modern perspective we would call doctors emerged.

Ancient Egyptian Medicine
Imhotep is considered by many to be the first great doctor, and during the time period of 260 BCE the doctor, architect and priest diagnosed over 200 ailments and prescribed medical treatment for them all. Such was his influence that after he died he was worshipped as a god of healing.

That he was also a priest wasn’t unusual as for the Egyptians – a god-fearing people with many different deities – treatment such as painkillers and cleaning a wound went hand in hand with asking higher powers for help. It was not uncommon for a witch doctor to accompany a doctor on their rounds, making the required spells aimed at making the treatment more effective. Despite this strong focus on the supernatural, ancient Egyptian doctors also made very important discoveries about how the human body worked, and they knew that the heart, pulse rates, blood and air were important to the workings of the human body and that a weak heartbeat meant that the patient had serious problems.
 
Ancient papyrus has also been found that makes specific reference to organs such as the spleen, lungs and the heart, which shows that doctors could treat illnesses individually. In fact, there was a high degree of specialisation among Egyptian physicians, with some treating only the head or the stomach, while others were eye-doctors and dentists, and medical papyrus shows empirical knowledge of anatomy, injuries, and practical treatments. Doctors would perform tasks such as stitching wounds, setting broken bones and amputating diseased limbs.

These first doctors held highly prestigious positions due to their invaluable knowledge of different illnesses and treatments and their ability to read and write. They were trained in the medical schools of temples and travelled throughout the land to heal royal families and all those who could afford their expertise. Egyptian doctors used to commonly classify illnesses into three categories: those related to the action of evil spirits; to clear causes such as wounds, and those with unknown causes which were attributed to the will of the gods.

Washing hands

Egyptian doctors understood that hygiene was vital. However, they mistakenly believed that the water from the Nile was purified.

Utensils

Surgical materials were improved and become more precise due to the anatomical knowledge gained from the mummification process.

Professionals

Doctors were some of the most well-respected figures in Egyptian society. In their clinical practices they used medical equipment, remedies and prayers to the gods.

Assistants

Most doctors would have assistants to keep the patient immobilised and help with equipment. An assistant was also a sign of status.

Convalescence

The Egyptians did not know about anaesthesia, so patients would be conscious when operated on and treated. However, they did use different types of painkillers and drugs which helped to numb the patients’ pain.

Pharmacopoeia

Remedies with medicinal properties were recorded in papyrus that included instructions on their preparation. It is through such material that much medical information from this period is still available.

Witch Doctor

Despite having a good understanding of the human body, Egyptian doctors also believed in the power of the spirits to heal. A witch doctor would make the necessary magic spells to make the treatment more effective and increase the chances of success.

How do we know this?

Lots of information has come from first-hand sources, such as ancient papyrus, that have been discovered – the dry atmosphere of the country helping to preserve these – which provide lots of information about ancient Egyptian medical knowledge and practice. Archaeological digs have also found evidence of men titled as physicians, and hieroglyphics in tombs have made mention of Egyptian doctors.

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