clas3051 lecture 2 pre-rational medicine in near east and greece
TRANSCRIPT
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CLAS3051 Lecture 2
Pre-rational Medicine in Near East and Greece
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Interplay Between Greece, Egypt, Babylon, etc.
1500ish: great decay in civilization in Europe
In Archaic period (900 – 500 BC) major influence on Greeks
Civilizations of Great antiquity to the Greeks
Commerce
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Greek View of Egyptian Medicine
Homer: 'everyone is a healer', 'the bountiful land produces many drugs
(Archeology shows trade in medical goods like opium and coriander)
Herodotus (5th c BC) says that they have medical specialists
(Herodotus also says Babylonians have no doctors, and seek medical advice from passers by)
Very difficult to work out interdependence
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Egyptian Medicine
Information recorded in written text, using hieroglyphs, on papyrus (pl. papyri) documents
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Papyrus
Reed-like plant Grows in Nile delta Pounded into sheets Written upon with
black sticky stuff
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Preservation of Papyri
In ideal dry conditions of desert
Last for thousands of years
Treasure hunt in late 19th, early 20th centuries Leads to forgeries
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Ebers Papyrus (LI.1)
Dated to 1500 BC! ?Some content as
early as 3000 BC Begins with spells Other sections less
magical: i.e. diseases of the head
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What Concepts of Medicine Does it Represent?
How does one become ill? How does one become better? What forces are at work for and against us?
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Hearst Papyrus (LI.2) Bancroft Library: “near perfect fake”? Roughly same date as Ebers pap. coprotherapy from copros 'dung' What process is taking place? How is this like the prayer in the Ebers pap.?
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Sumerian Cuneiform Tablets
cuneiform lit. means 'wedge-shaped'
preserved through firing of clay in disasters
3000 BC onwards
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Sumerian Incantations
LI.4 How is it like Egyptian ones?
LI.5-6 – what picture of
disease do they offer
on what principle do they operate?
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Greek Pestilence from gods
Artemis and Apollo, brother and sister
Here, killing children of Niobe Bringers of disease Healers of disease
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Zeus's Role
Also brings sudden death
Blindness to Polyphemus
What is his relationship with disease in Hesiod Works and Days L1.13-14?
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Wounds in Homer
Homer thought to be a 'medical officer' (!) by German scholar
Emphasis on anatomical correctness
Treatment of Menelaos by Machaon in bk. 4 fairly realistic
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Healing Cults
Amphiaraus and Asclepius How did these work? LI.21
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Asclepius
Human son of Apollo Taught by Chiron Over-used magical
arts Killed by Zeus, but
made a god Associated with snake,
staff
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Temple Complex of Asclepius at Epidaurus
Best known for this well-preserved theatre
This a late (4th c. BC) addition
Not crucial to its healing function
Testament to prosperity of 'cult'
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Location of Epidaurus
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Sanctuary of Asclepius
What happened here? LI.22-23: myth and
legend LI.24-26:
contemporary accounts
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Evidence from Inscriptions
Sometimes called 'epigraphic' evidence from Greek for 'carving upon'
Tens of thousands of these documents
Records of healings at Epidaurus
Form of advertisement
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Votive Offerings
Repayment to the gods Often in shape of limb
or organ Here probably in
thanks for restored health of child
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Surgery at Epidaurus
Bronze medical instruments found at site
See LI.23,25
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Evidence from Manuscript Tradition
Books copied through the ages By 9th c. AD, looked like this
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Spread of the Cult of Asclepius
Came to Athens in late 5th c. BC L.27
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Organization of Asclepius Cult
So-called Asclepiadai, travelling priests of god LI.29 shows agreements between these groups
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Mixing of Scientific Medicine with Religion
Cult influenced by Hippocratic medicine? Hippocratic by cult practices? What distinguished these? Which was preferable to Greeks?