Egypt’s Ebers Papyrus: The oldest medical document in history

CAIRO – 11 April 2021: Maged Kamel, a researcher in cultural heritage, said that the Egyptian Ebers Papyrus is the oldest medical papyrus known in the history of medicine. It is about 3500 years old.

Kamel explained that it dates back to the sixteenth century BC, during the era of King Amenhotep I, the second king of the Eighteenth Dynasty. The papyrus contains about 887 prescriptions for many diseases and methods of treatment, including burns, arthritis, headaches and asthma.

According to Kamel, it was bought by the German scientist George Ebers (1837-1898) from an Egyptian peasant in Luxor during the year 1872. The Egyptian peasant found it inside some mummy shrouds and placed it in a metal cupboard. It was in fairly good condition.

Also, that papyrus contains admirable passages, a description that perfectly applies to angina pectoris or coronary artery occlusion, and a set of descriptions of tumors such as sebaceous tumors and abscesses.

As for dental pain, the papyrus recommended filling of decayed teeth. It also provided a treatment for some mental illnesses and ways to improve the psychological state of depression patients.