The first recorded book that was solely for medicinal research was the Ebers Papyrus, written around 1500BC. It was created in Egypt, where it is also thought the first specific doctor practiced – in 3000BC Sekhet-eanach healed the Pharaoh’s nostrils. It is not known what was wrong with the nostrils in the first place. Ancient Egyptian medicine is a fascinating mix of magic and science – in a time where science was not well known, magic was as good an explanation of illness as any. However, they still searched for a natural cause to illness as well as magical. The human body was largely unknown, the Egyptians believed it to be full of channels – like irrigation canals, that when blocked caused illness. This led to the majority of herbal medicines being used to stimulate vomiting or other excretory methods.
It is well known that the Egyptians were adept at embalming and preserving the dead, they were also quite advanced in their surgical methods. they were able to splint broken bones and heal most wounds. They had an understanding of cleanliness and were able to take advantage of the antiseptic properties of honey and willow bark to prevent infections – despite no indication of germ theory for centuries.
The Ebers Papyrus contains over 700 magical formulas and fables to treat all sorts of maladies – from how to rid the house of pests to how to treat a crocodile bite.
It is fantastic how well humans through history have been able to notice the abilities of the world around them and harness it, often without understanding why it works. This is common in medicine and other areas of research and development.
Catherine's Science Blog 