Edwin Smith Papyrus: An Ancient Surgery Guide
Ancient medicine developed being closely connected with religious beliefs, prohibitions, and superstitions. Actually, this rule includes also medicine of ancient Egypt. Many medically-oriented texts found there were compiled and written by priests. Except from medical advice they contained religious hymns and prays to gods of ancient Egypt.
One of the most famous medical documents of ancient Egypt is Edwin Smith surgical papyrus. It provides descriptions and explanations to surgical treatments which witness high level of development of ancient Egypt medicine.
Historical background
On the first glance, medicine of ancient Egypt does not differ much from medical practices of other countries, but it was influenced by religious views and philosophy of ancient Egyptians. One of the basic principles of their world outlook was “Maat” – a universal world order. Religion of ancient Egypt kept features of prehistoric beliefs for a long time, and this determined the way of its growth. Culture and science of ancient Egypt were rather conservative: if one solution of the problem was found, it became a universal prescription to all the same cases.
Thereby, Edwin Smith papyrus was dated about 1600 BC, but words and phrases used in the text witness that probably the original papyrus was written about 2500-3000 BC. Another evidence, according to Hatta (1999), is that some fragments of the papyrus include commentaries which explain more ancient parts of the text.
This papyrus has a specific structure: it contains 48 cases of different injures, which are placed from the top of the head to spine, where text breaks off. So, all traumas are grouped according to their anatomical region. Except from methods of diagnosis, according to Hatta (1999), the papyrus includes a brief note on the ability to treat each injury which is graded as treatable, probably treatable and untreatable.
Peculiarity of the content
Edwin Smith papyrus has also many valuable anatomical observations: e.g. pulsation of a heart that is felt in every member of a body – obviously, this is pulse. It was considered that Herophilos of Alexandria discovered it in 300 BC, but really it was described about 2700 years earlier (Hatta, 1999). In Edwin Smith papyrus was found a description of the inner brain structure: it was compared with the corrugations on the molten copper. In addition, physical injures was for the first time connected with physiological processes, like brain trauma was connected with the breach of its function.
Historical value of this monument of ancient Egypt medicine is obvious: it clarifies dates of some important medical discoveries and provides information about medical ethics and gradation of injuries.
Historical and research value
However, there are other opinions about Edwin Smith papyrus: it is considered not only a monument of history of medicine, but also as a handbook of proper treatment of surgical patient. According to it, doctor should visit patient and ask him about his general conditions, palpate him and …
