Scientists of the research team from the KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology at The University of Manchester discovered evidences in medical papyri written in 1,500 B.C.E -a millennium prior the birth of Hippocrates- that modern medicine's origin lies in ancient Egypt and not with the Greeks.
Dr. J. Campbell stated:
Classical scholars have always considered the ancient Greeks, particularly Hippocrates, as being the fathers of medicine but our findings suggest that the ancient Egyptians were practising a credible form of pharmacy and medicine much earlier [...] When we compared the ancient remedies against modern pharmaceutical protocols and standards, we found the prescriptions in the ancient documents not only compared with pharmaceutical preparations of today but that many of the remedies had therapeutic merit.
The papyri was first discovered in the mid-19th century, and according to the scientific team presents ancient Egyptian physician treatment of wounds with antimicrobial products such as honey, resins and metals. In addition, the team discovered prescriptions for laxatives of castor oil and colocynth and bulk laxatives of figs and bran and colic's treatment with hyoscyamus which is still in use today. Additional research showed that that musculo-skeletal disorders were treated with rubefacients to stimulate blood flow and poultices to warm and soothe.
Many of the ancient remedies we discovered survived into the 20th century and, indeed, some remain in use today, albeit that the active component is now produced synthetically [...] Other ingredients endure and acacia is still used in cough remedies while aloes forms a basis to soothe and heal skin conditions.
Said Dr Campbell.
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Additionally, Professor Rosalie David, Director of the KNH Centre, stated:
These results are very significant and show that the ancient Egyptians were practising a credible form of pharmacy long before the Greeks [...] Our research is continuing on a genetic, chemical and comparative basis to compare the medicinal plants of ancient Egypt with modern species and to investigate similarities between the traditional remedies of North Africa with the remedies used by their ancestors of 1,500 BC.
Source: EurekAlert by Aeron Haworth, University of Manchester.
