By: Brett Jewell

& Nyssa Harris

Prehistoric Medicine

No SanitationDangerous terrain/wildlifeMalnutrition Evidence of Rickets (bone deformities) from

low vitamin DVery low life expectancy (25-40 years)Little resourcesPoor knowledge of pathogens

Health Problems In Stone Age

Active with relatively healthy dietDisease spread slowly:

No tradeDisease killed host before it was able to spread

No pollution

Benefits of Nomadic Lifestyle

Herbal MedsClay to set broken or fractured bonesTree sap to treat burnsOrchid bulbs for stomach achesSurgeries Supernatural treatment such as charms,

spells, and amulets

Cures/Techniques

Stone age people lived in family groupsMembers would see the same people

everydayIt was very rare for two different family

groups to meetAir-borne diseases stayed contained in a

family groupHowever infections from wounds were very

common

Culture

Trepanning/Trepanation Surgery that was

carried out by shamanConsisted of cutting a

hole into the skullBelieved to relieve

people of evil spiritsFailure=spirit too strongDespite medical

inappropriateness, most survived

Some even showed signs of healing

Very spiritual, believed in spirit worldNatural explanations for everythingGood spirit cause good things like rain and

foodBad spirit cause bad things like disease“Cures” were usually supernatural ones

Stone Aged Philosophies

Flints Arrowheads Spears

Technology

No significant people reported How ever there were three groups of people

Homo Erectus- 1.8 million years to 300,000 years ago

Neanderthals- 400,000 years ago to 30,000 years ago

Homo Sapiens (Modern Humans)- 150,000 years ago to present day

Key People

No one knew about pathogensThey just stayed away from another person

who was illIf an illness was severe enough the tribesman

would kill the sick

Preventative Methods

The men would go huntingThe women would stay with the childrenThe men would likely get hurt hunting

(broken bones etc.)The women would get many joint problems

that modern body builders getWomen who would grind corn or wheat would

develop Deltoid Tuberosities

More on Stone age lifestyle