Writing used in Medicine
As the Ancient Egyptians were so focused on their health and really passionate about writing, they used hieroglyphs to help them transfer their medical knowledge between people and even from one generation to another. Their textbooks and techniques were impressive some dating back to 3000 BC. A great deal of their understanding was written down on papyrus scrolls. One of the most important documents from Ancient Egypt about medicine is the 5 metre long, Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus. It has incredible medical texts containing 48 case studies and over 700 remedies. It did contain magical spells and incarnations to keep demons away however evidence was found of well thought out scientific procedures. It is the oldest preserved medical document in existence. After being translated and understood, we have been able to learn a great deal about the study and practise of medicine the Egyptians did. Each case study of an ailment was broken into three parts. It begins with a description of the symptoms the patient is experiencing. A clear review of the diagnosis follows the examination. It also gives instructions how to carry out a diagnosis. Last, a list of possible treatments are given and explanations of the ailment is included for further knowledge. This way of recording information on different sicknesses was used 3500 years ago and is still used today.
The procedures and understanding of observations written on this papyrus demonstrate a high level of knowledge on medicines that surpassed other civilisations who lived thousands of years after the Ancient Egyptians did. Due to its practical nature and the types of issues investigated, it is believed that the papyrus served as a textbook for doctors themselves to reference with a patients injury. Therefore they knew what to do and didn't have to rely on their memory as much.
The procedures and understanding of observations written on this papyrus demonstrate a high level of knowledge on medicines that surpassed other civilisations who lived thousands of years after the Ancient Egyptians did. Due to its practical nature and the types of issues investigated, it is believed that the papyrus served as a textbook for doctors themselves to reference with a patients injury. Therefore they knew what to do and didn't have to rely on their memory as much.