Thanks to The Ancients ...

You and I may think of our health care system as an entirely modern construction, comprised of the latest scientific discoveries developed in space age style labs to keep our human bodies going longer and better than ever before. And while it may be true that researchers are discovering incredible new ways to take care of our health, sometimes it is helpful to take a step back and think about just how much of modern medicine is based on concepts about health that have been around for thousands of years. Over the next few blog entries, I want to explore the medical practices of other cultures throughout the ages. Who knows, we might pick up a few helpful hints for our everyday modern lives!

Medicine in Ancient Egypt

We know a lot about the health care system in ancient Egypt. Papyri survive which describe in detail Egyptian surgical practices, gynaecological treatments, and treatments for tumors. Interestingly, though, one of the surviving medical papyri, the Ebers papyrus, describes numerous magical spells, as well as remedies that were supposedly used by the gods. So what are we to make of this? How could a culture so advanced that they were performing brain surgeries nearly five thousand years ago still believe in the effectiveness of magical incantations against disease?

Perhaps the most obvious answer is that these superstitions actually worked. We should never underestimate the placebo effect.

The medicinal practices of the ancient Egyptians were far and away the most advanced of the ancient world. But in spite of their scientific acumen, the Egyptians managed to hold onto something that is perhaps a bit lacking in our own health care system: the ability to inspire faith.

Egyptian medics seem to have managed what we would call now, "a holistic approach." Hopefully we can manage to bring this to our health care system without having to resort to magical spells!