Medicine in ancient Egypt: How did the pharaohs treat wounds and broken bones?

CAIRO – 12 January 2022: Archaeologists have discovered something unique in an ancient Egyptian tomb; they have found an ancient coiled wound after undressing the mummified body of a girl who died 2,000 years ago.

Ancient Egyptians were no strangers to linen bandages, which they first used to wrap their dead more than 6000 years ago, about a thousand years before the first pharaohs came to power.

However, until now, Egyptologists have not found bandages that were used to dress the wounds of the living ancient Egyptians.

Medicine was very advanced during the era of the ancient Egyptians, and included minor surgeries, repairing broken bones and utilizing numerous medicines. 

Despite the association of ancient Egyptian medicine with magic and spells, medical research has often shown its effectiveness, and the compatibility of the ancient Egyptian pharmaceutical compositions by 37 percent with the known formulas according to the British Pharmacy Constitution issued in 1973, where the ancient Egyptian medical texts identified specific steps for examination, diagnosis and treatment that were often logical and appropriate, according to the new scientist website.

The knowledge of the early Egyptians about the formation of the human body came from their interest in the mummification of the dead to preserve their bodies. 

The ancient Egyptian doctor was not of an important status among the Egyptians alone, but also became famous in the countries neighboring Egypt due to his knowledge and reputation as a great doctor.

Some ancient Egyptian manuscripts mention that one of the great priests, Imhotep, is considered the founder of medicine in ancient Egypt. He is also believed to be the innovator of hieroglyphic writing, which made the ancient Egyptians venerate him in the later times as "the god of healing."

In Alexandria during the Ptolemaic era, medical science reached its peak. Alexandria was a center for science, culture and medicine in the Ptolemaic era and was a school for the education of doctors. It has greatly influenced medical science and treatment methods in Greece and thus medicine in Europe.