Ancient Egyptian Medicine Research Paper

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Much of the history of medicine dates back to the early Egyptian civilizations. It is hard to imagine what one would do today if medical attention was not available and for reasons greater than one, we have the Egyptians to thank that medicine is readily available. Whether it is a yearly checkup at the doctors, or a medical emergency, because of the evolution of medicine from the Egyptians, medicine has been able to become the wide umbrella of what it is today. Although ancient Egyptian medicine was practiced five thousand years ago, it's influence on today's medicine is one of great importance and should not be left unappreciated. While ancient Egyptian medicine isn't completely similar to our medicine today, it appears to be more similar …show more content…
This is where the main difference between Ancient medicine and modern medicine is found. “Egyptians used magic to cure what they could not see.” This means that magic and spirituality were brought into play when medicine did not prevail. The Egyptians believed that their illnesses were tied to the gods and that if one person got sick, it was because of a wrong doing to a god. It was not extraordinary for a doctor to also be a priest. In fact, praying was often a form of treatment for a patient and in extreme cases patients would be “incubated” so that they could rest closer to gods inner sanctuary. Differing from how medicine is practiced today, an Egyptian doctor would not only diagnose what physically was wrong with the patient, but he or she would also determine whether the illness was brought upon the person by a god as punishment for a wrong doing. Nevertheless, Egyptians still did put a huge amount of power in their gods and goddesses hands, but when it came to medicine doctors were both medically and spiritually involved. “Meditating between the idea and real words of health was the Egyptian doctor and his many divine patrons” This quote explains the healthy balance between medicine and spirituality in Egypt. Medicine was still first because it was a physical action of help, but when medicine failed, the gods and magic were brought into the equation. (TRANSITION

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