

Kings and queens from faraway lands sought Egyptian doctors because of their reputation for excellence. In one process, the priest-doctor inserted a long, hooked implement through the nostril and broke the thin bone of the brain case to remove the brain.

The ancient Egyptians’ practice of preserving deceased people as mummies meant that they learned something about how the human body works. They traveled long distances, coming back with herbs and spices from faraway lands. They could afford some health care and also had time to ponder and study. In addition, there were also relatively wealthy individuals in ancient Egyptian society. This stability allowed medical research to develop. Before this, the local people mainly lived a nomadic life. The ancient Egyptians had an organized economy and system of government, a settled population, social conventions, and properly enforced laws. Documented ancient Egyptian medical literature is among the oldest in existence today. The fact that ancient Egyptians had systems of letters and numbers meant they were able to record and develop ideas and make calculations. Most healers were also priests, but, in time, the profession of a “doctor of medicine” emerged. They used a combination of prayer and natural - or non-spiritual - remedies. They looked for ways to unblock these channels. The ancient Egyptians thought that gods, demons, and spirits played a key role in causing diseases.ĭoctors believed that spirits blocked channels in the body and that this affected the way the body worked. This picture shows Isis on a birthing stool, Share on Pinterest The ancient Egyptians had basic medical equipment, and they also believed that the gods controlled life and health.
