Pharmacological practices of ancient Egypt

Parkins, Michael D.  (University of Calgary)

The Proceedings of the 10th Annual HISTORY OF MEDICINE DAYS, THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE, THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

Abstract

Some of the most extensive reports on early medical practices are those from ancient Egypt. The physicians of this time period, known as the swnw (pronounced sounou), made enormous contributions to the field of medicine. The swnw were responsible for the production of the first known medical texts, the first reported observations of human anatomy, the first medical vocabulary, and the first prescribed drug therapies. The Egyptians employed a vast pharmacopoeia to treat a variety of recognized conditions ranging from hair loss to treating potentially fatal wounds.

Our knowledge of the therapeutic regimes of ancient Egypt comes from information contained in seven papyrus scrolls which were written around 1700 BC, but are believed to be copies of much older texts. These scrolls contain the names of hundreds of medicines used to treat a variety of pathological conditions. For the most part these treatment regimes contained multiple ingredients derived from animal, plant, and mineral origin, mixed with vehicles such as beer, milk and honey.

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