Edwin Smith Papyrus
Edwin Smith Papyrus | |
---|---|
Size | length: 4.68 meters |
Created | c. 1600 BC |
Discovered | Egypt |
Present location | New York City, New York, United States |
The Edwin Smith Papyrus is an ancient Egyptian
This document, which may have been a manual of military surgery, describes 48 cases of injuries, fractures, wounds, dislocations and tumors.[4] It dates to Dynasties 16–17 of the Second Intermediate Period in ancient Egypt, c. 1600 BCE.[5]: 70 The papyrus is unique among the four principal medical papyri in existence[6] that survive today. While other papyri, such as the
The Edwin Smith papyrus is a scroll 4.68 meters or 15.3 feet in length. The recto (front side) has 377 lines in 17 columns, while the verso (backside) has 92 lines in five columns. Aside from the fragmentary outer column of the scroll, the remainder of the papyrus is intact, although it was cut into one-column pages some time in the 20th century.[5]: 70 It is written right-to-left in hieratic, the Egyptian cursive form of hieroglyphs, in black ink with explanatory glosses in red ink. The vast majority of the papyrus is concerned with trauma and surgery, with short sections on gynaecology and cosmetics on the verso.[9] On the recto side, there are 48 cases of injury. Each case details the type of the injury, examination of the patient, diagnosis and prognosis, and treatment.[10]: 26–28 The verso side consists of eight magic spells and five prescriptions. The spells of the verso side and two incidents in Case 8 and Case 9 are the exceptions to the practical nature of this medical text.[5]: 70 Generic spells and incantations may have been used as a last resort in terminal cases.[8]
Authorship
Authorship of the Edwin Smith Papyrus is debated. The majority of the papyrus was written by one scribe, with only small sections copied by a second scribe.[8] The papyrus ends abruptly in the middle of a line, without any inclusion of an author.[5]: 71 It is believed that the papyrus is an incomplete copy of an older reference manuscript from the Old Kingdom, evidenced by archaic grammar, terminology,[9] form and commentary. James Henry Breasted speculates - but emphasises that this is pure conjecture based on no evidence - that the original author might be Imhotep, an architect, high priest, and physician of the Old Kingdom, 3000–2500 BCE.[11]: 9
Procedure
The rational and practical nature of the papyrus is illustrated in 48 case histories, which are listed according to each organ.[6] Presented cases are typical, not individual.[2] The papyrus begins by addressing injuries to the head, and continues with treatments for injuries to neck, arms and torso,[10]: 29 detailing injuries in descending anatomical order[9] like a modern anatomical exposition.[2] The title of each case details the nature of trauma, such as "Practices for a gaping wound in his head, which has penetrated to the bone and split the skull".[5]: 74 The objective examination process[12] included visual and olfactory clues, palpation and taking of the pulse.[9] Following the examination are the diagnosis and prognosis, where the physician judges the patient’s chances of survival and makes one of three diagnoses: "An ailment which I will treat," "An ailment with which I will contend," or "An ailment not to be treated".[9] Last, treatment options are offered. In many of the cases, explanations of trauma are included to provide further clarity.[5]: 70
Among the treatments are closing wounds with sutures (for wounds of the lip, throat, and shoulder),[13] bandaging, splints, poultices,[9] preventing and curing infection with honey, and stopping bleeding with raw meat.[5]: 72 Immobilization is advised for head and spinal cord injuries, as well as other lower body fractures. The papyrus also describes realistic anatomical, physiological and pathological observations.[12] It contains the first known descriptions of the cranial structures, the meninges, the external surface of the brain, the cerebrospinal fluid, and the intracranial pulsations.[2]: 1 The procedures of this papyrus demonstrate an Egyptian level of knowledge of medicines that surpassed that of Hippocrates, who lived 1000 years later,[7]: 59 and the documented rationale for diagnosis and treatment of spinal injuries can still be regarded as the state-of-the-art reasoning for modern clinical practice.[14] The influence of brain injuries on parts of the body is recognized, such as paralysis. The relationship between the location of a cranial injury and the side of the body affected is also recorded, while crushing injuries of vertebrae were noted to impair motor and sensory functions.[12] Due to its practical nature and the types of trauma investigated, it is believed that the papyrus served as a textbook for the trauma that resulted from military battles.[5]: 11
History
The Edwin Smith Papyrus dates to Dynasties 16–17 of the Second Intermediate Period. Egypt was ruled from Thebes during this time and the papyrus is likely to have originated from there.[5]: 70–71 Edwin Smith, an American Egyptologist,[6] was born in Connecticut in 1822 – the same year Egyptian hieroglyphic writing was decoded.[2] Smith purchased it in Luxor, Egypt in 1862, from an Egyptian dealer named Mustafa Agha.[10]: 25
The papyrus was in the possession of Smith until his death, when his daughter donated the papyrus to
From 1938 through 1948, the papyrus was at the Brooklyn Museum. In 1948, the New York Historical Society and the Brooklyn Museum presented the papyrus to the New York Academy of Medicine, where it remains today.[5]: 70
From 2005 through 2006, the Edwin Smith Papyrus was on exhibition at the
List of cases
As listed in [3]
- Head (27 cases, the first incomplete)
- Skull, overlying soft tissue and brain, Cases 1-10.
- Nose, Cases 11-14.
- Maxillary region, Cases 15-17.
- Temporal region, Cases 18-22.
- Ears, mandible, lips and chin, Cases 23-27.
- Throat and Neck (Cervical Vertebrae), Cases 28-33.
- Clavicle, Cases 34-35.
- Humerus, Cases 36-38.
- Sternum, Overlying Soft Tissue, and True Ribs, Cases 39-46.
- Shoulders, Case 47.
- Spinal Column, Case 48 (incomplete).
See also
- List of ancient Egyptian papyri
- Ancient Egyptian medicine
- Medical literature
References
- ^ Martin, Andrew J. (2005-07-27). "Academy Papyrus to be Exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art" (Press release). The New York Academy of Medicine. Archived from the original on November 27, 2010. Retrieved 2015-06-03.
- ^ LCCN 2011293270.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-918986-73-3., fulltext of translation with commentary.
- LCCN 2007051972. Archivedfrom the original on 2018-08-09. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ LCCN 2005016908.
- ^ LCCN 2001021799. Archivedfrom the original on 2016-02-06. Retrieved 2016-01-04.
- ^ LCCN 65029851.
- ^ LCCN 99054801. Archived from the original on 2016-03-22. Retrieved 2016-01-04.)
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link - ^ LCCN 99054801. Archived from the original on 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-01-04.)
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link - ^ )
- ^ LCCN 31007705.
- ^ LCCN 93013671.
- PMID 8795503.
- PMID 20697750.
- ^ Sheppard, Kathleen (December 16, 2016). "The Contributions of Caroline Ransom Williams (1872-1952) to Archaeology". Brewminate. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
- ^ Randolph, Louise F. (1921). "College Women and Research". Journal of the American Association of University Women. 15: 51. Archived from the original on 26 February 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
Bibliography
- Martin, Andrew J. (2005-07-27). "Academy Papyrus to be Exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art" (Press release). The New York Academy of Medicine. Archived from the original on November 27, 2010. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
- LCCN 2005016908.
- LCCN 31007705.
- LCCN 65029851.
- Der medizinische Papyrus Edwin Smith: The LCCN 2013402815.
- Nunn, John F. (1996). Ancient Egyptian Medicine. Vol. 113. )
- Sullivan, Richard (August 1996). "The Identity and Work of the Ancient Egyptian Surgeon". PMID 8795503.
- Wilkins, Robert H. (March 1964). "Neurosurgical Classic-XVII (Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus)". PMID 14127631. Archived from the originalon 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2016. translation of 13 cases from Breasted, James Henry (1930) pertaining to injuries of the skull and spinal cord, with commentary.
External links
- "Edwin Smith Papyrus". Turning the Pages Online. U.S. National Library of Medicine Communications Engineering Branch. February 25, 2015. Archivedfrom the original on February 5, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
- Arab, Sameh M. "Medicine in Ancient Egypt - Part 1". Arab World Books Articles. Arab World Books. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
- Wilkins, Robert H. (March 1964). "Neurosurgical Classic-XVII (Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus)". PMID 14127631. Archived from the originalon 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2016. translation of 13 cases from Breasted, James Henry (1930) pertaining to injuries of the skull and spinal cord, with commentary.
- Sadek, Ashraf Alexandre (January 2001). "Some Aspects of Medicine in Pharonic Egypt". History of Medicine. Australian Academy of Medicine & Surgery. Archived from the original on March 5, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
- The Edwin Smith surgical papyrus, published in facsimile and hieroglyphic transliteration with translation and commentary in two volumes (PDF). Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago, Oriental Institute. 1930. ISBN 978-0-918986-73-3., fulltext of translation with original hieroglyphics (printed) and commentary.