Ancient Egypt

Essential Information

1. The Egyptians were very religious and had lots of gods who controlled important areas of life. Imhotep was the God of medicine. Priests often acted as Doctors.

2. Egyptians believed that evil spirits entering the body caused illness. To cure themselves they had to drive the evil spirit away with charms and amulets.

3. Egyptians prepared the bodies for the return of the soul in the afterlife. This process of embalming led to discovering the internal organs. However their religious beliefs prevented them from understanding how the body worked, as they did not dissect the organs.

4. Some Egyptians believed that the body was like the river Nile and that having channels blocked caused illness. This led to practical cures such as purging.

5. Egyptian knowledge developed due to their wealth. They could afford bronze tools and afford to have doctors who were specialists.
6. Communication helped medicine progress in Ancient Egypt. Trade with China and India caused them to come into contact with different ideas and herbs. The Egyptians also used papyrus to record information – Papyrus Edwin Smith and Ebers Papyrus.