Medicine

     Medicines were made from different plants, minerals, and sometimes parts of animals. The medicines were either mixed with some liquids like water, milk, beer, or wine. It was either drunk or mixed with oil and applied to the skin. Ancient Egyptians believed illness was caused by evil spirits entering the body. Special prayers to gods were recited over a patient during a treatment. If medicine didn’t work doctors turned to religion and magic for the answer. Doctors were put into three groups. The three groups were surgeon-healers, priest-doctors, and pure-magicians. Thoth, Sekhmet, Isis, and Imhotep were gods mainly related to healing. People often went to their temple to find a cure. Sometimes they were allowed to spend a night in a room next to the temple so the gods could visit them in the night. If everything didn’t work a magician would have been called in. The magician would recite a spell or use an ivory magic wand to draw magic circles of protection around the sick person. The ivory magic wand was meant to give protection during child birth. Castor oil plant was often used in ancient Egyptian remedies. A lot of ingredients for remedies are unknown. There were no plaster casts so bones didn’t heal straight. The type of anaesthetic was used to deaden pain was opium. Honey and garlic appear in many remedies. Honey was also used for keeping wounds clean. Medical records include formulas used by practicing doctors and over 260 prescriptions, including cures for animal stings. Special prayers, spells, and incantations were believed to help cure diseases. Mummies showed the knowledge that ancient Egyptians had about preservative properties of the herbs they used in the embalming process. Doctors performed operations and created medicine. Some medicines were unpleasant. It was used to frighten away evil spirits that were thought to cause illnesses. They had attempted a cure for the common cold. Ancient Egyptians had spells to protect newborns and their mothers. They used plants and herbs as cures such as garlic and juniper berries. Magicians were valued for their believed healing power. Spells were chanted as a cure and to ward off injury sickness, and danger Medical treatments were a mixture if magic and science. Physicians and magicians worked together to concoct potions to ward off evil spirits. Many ailments were thought to be caused by worm-like creatures that had to purge from the body. Many of their herbal cures still widely used today. Magical charms were worn as protection against disease and votive offerings or were made to the gods. Egyptians didn’t believe ill health was confided to the living. They buried magical charms with the deceased as protection in the underworld. Breathing the scent of lotus flower was thought to be protection against diseases. Egyptians knew of the healing of several plants Doctors generally gave medicine mixed with liquid. Doctors also prescribed ointments. Some ingredients they used for medicine was myrrh, malachite, dung, blood, fat from different animals, figs, dates, aloe, cucumbers, dill, and mustard. They treated a fractured scull with crushed ostrich egg. To prevent grey hair they used the blood of a black calf. Doctors recited prayers while performing medical procedures. Ancient Egypt was a fascinating place and was very smart for their time.