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HomescienceCancer: Dr. Pharaoh: Science Reveals Details About Medicine in Ancient Egypt

Cancer: Dr. Pharaoh: Science Reveals Details About Medicine in Ancient Egypt

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Hey Ancient Egypt It is famous for its technological advancement, evidenced by the amazing technology developed to build the pyramids, which is still amazing today. But the field was not limited to engineering, as scientific discoveries have shown that its achievements were also impressive in medicine.

The latest of these discoveries came from the University of Oxford. By analyzing 4,000-year-old skeletons, in an attempt to understand how cancer affected ancient populations, the researcher found that Tatiana Tondini Marks found on the skull indicate that the ancient Egyptians were trying to study or study. Cancer treatment.

“When I got to the first lesion that had these cut marks, I wasn’t sure at first what I was seeing there,” the researcher said in an interview with VEJA. “We identified the marks and confirmed that they were of human origin and had occurred just before or after the individual’s death. Within minutes, our entire lab was filled with other researchers, technicians, and professors, all around the microscope looking at the lesions in disbelief.

Signs on the skull - Cancer: evidence of manipulation
Signs on the skull – Cancer: evidence of manipulation (Tundini/Isidro/Camaros/Disclosure)

Investigations into ancient medical papyri have indeed revealed that the Egyptians were aware of cancer and recognized it as Intractable caseBut this is the first time they have found evidence that they have manipulated the injuries in any way. However, it is currently not possible to determine whether these signs are the result of an attempt to investigate or treat the disease – if the second case is confirmed, this would be the first. Oldest evidence For oncology surgery already registered by science.

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What were the medical skills of the ancient Egyptians?

And that wasn't the only discovery the researchers made. In an article published in June in the scientific journal Frontiers in medicineThe authors also reveal the skill of these individuals in the field of trauma treatment. “The second important result concerns the successful treatment of a lesion of the frontal bone in one of the skulls,” says Tondini. “According to our analysis, this injury was caused by a sharp instrument such as a sword or an axe. It is highly unlikely that this person would have survived without appropriate treatment.”

However, analysis shows that the fracture showed clear signs of healing, suggesting that the individual did not simply undergo some type of treatment. Therapeutic procedureWhere he remained alive for a long time after treatment.

Other works have also revealed the ancient Egyptians’ prowess in medicine. Although there can be no formal science behind these skills, documents show that they had a deep knowledge of how the human body worked, the ability to treat various diseases, develop prosthetic limbs, and even perform dental fillings.

Edwin Smith Papyrus - Medical Record: A document dating back to 1600 BC, it is the oldest description of the medical ability of the ancient Egyptians.
Edwin Smith Papyrus – Medical Record: A document dating back to 1600 BC, it is the oldest description of the medical ability of the ancient Egyptians. (New York Academy of Sciences/Wikimedia Commons)

What is known about medicine among other traditional peoples?

Although the Egyptians' knowledge of the area is distinct, as it served as a source of learning for the Greek and Roman civilizations, other peoples also had their own forms of treatment.

In Latin America, for example, indigenous peoples such as the Maya and Aztecs had extensive knowledge of medicinal herbs. In ancient China, traditional techniques such as acupuncture were gaining popularity.

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Much of this knowledge is thought to have come from observing animals, suggesting that the medical profession may be older than humanity itself. To illustrate, in recent work, researchers have shown that a Orangutans He successfully treated the wound by topical application of a herb widely known in traditional human medicine for its healing properties. It is undoubtedly a case of an ode to nature, intelligence, and why not, human humility.

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