The Edwin Smith Medical Papyrus, dating from the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep I, is one of the most important medical texts of ancient Egypt.
This papyrus dates back to approximately 1500 BCE and is an incomplete copy of a text dating from 2686-2181 BCE. It is based on material accumulated over a thousand years. For example, 48 traumatic cases, each with a description of the physical examination, treatment, and prognosis.
New York Academy of Medicine
This unique document was discovered and sold by Egyptian merchant and consular agent Mustafa Agha to American explorer and archaeologist Edwin Smith, who lived in Luxor from 1858 to 1876.
Unusually for his time, Edwin Smith had sufficient knowledge to make a preliminary translation of the text. After his death, the papyrus was given to the New York Historical Society by his daughter.
New York Academy of Medicine
In 1938, the papyrus was sent to the Brooklyn Museum, and in 1948 it was transferred to the New York Academy of Medicine, where it remains today.
The Edwin Smith Medical Papyrus differs from many other ancient Egyptian medical texts in its rationality and lack of magical rites. It includes systematic instructions for the examination, diagnosis, and treatment of various diseases. This approach reflects the significant advances and empirical knowledge of ancient Egyptian physicians.
New York Academy of Medicine
The medical papyrus is believed to have been found in the tomb of a physician in the Theban necropolis, highlighting its importance as a historical and medical artifact.
The Edwin Smith Medical Papyrus remains one of the most striking examples of how ancient civilizations applied a scientific approach to medicine, reflecting their desire to understand and treat diseases without resorting to mystical powers and magic.
Source: neurosurgery.org
nyam.org
