A day in the life of an ancient Egyptian doctor - Elizabeth Cox

Summary

In ancient Memphis, Egypt, Peseshet, a female physician or 'swnw', tends to her patients with a mix of medical knowledge and incantations. From treating a severe arm fracture to casting out scorpion venom, she navigates the challenges of her profession. Peseshet also conducts a unique pregnancy test and teaches anatomy at the House of Life. Despite her expertise, she faces the harsh reality of untreatable diseases, reflecting on the limitations of her craft amidst the backdrop of the Nile's life-giving floods.

Takeaways

• 🌞 The setting is a hot morning in Memphis, Egypt, highlighting the Nile's significance in the region.
• 🧪 Peseshet is a 'swnw' or physician, indicating the role of women in ancient Egyptian medicine.
• 📚 To become a doctor, one had to be trained as a scribe and study medical papyri at the 'Per Ankh', showing the importance of education in the profession.
• 🤕 Peseshet's first patient has a severe arm injury, demonstrating the practical challenges faced by physicians.
• 🐜 Peseshet treats a scorpion sting with an incantation, reflecting the mix of medical and spiritual practices in ancient Egypt.
• 🏥 The 'House of Life' is a central place for scribes, priests, doctors, and students, indicating its role as a hub of knowledge and activity.
• 📝 Peseshet's son Akhethetep is training to be a scribe, illustrating the hereditary aspect of certain professions.
• 🚫 The profession is not easily accessible to those without family ties, revealing social and educational barriers.
• 👩‍⚕️ Peseshet oversees female physicians and trainees, indicating gender roles and divisions within the medical profession.
• 📖 She teaches about the 'metu', the body's vessels, showing the depth of anatomical knowledge in ancient Egyptian medicine.
• 😔 Peseshet encounters a patient with an untreatable tumor, underscoring the limitations of medical knowledge and practice at the time.
• 🌾 The script concludes with the anticipation of the Nile's flooding, symbolizing the cycle of life, death, and renewal in ancient Egyptian society.

Q & A

What is the setting of the script?

The script is set in Memphis, Egypt, during a sweltering morning with the Nile River mentioned as a prominent geographical feature.

Who is Peseshet and what is her profession?

Peseshet is a 'swnw', which means a doctor in ancient Egyptian terms. She is also a scribe and a teacher at the Per Ankh, the House of Life.

What are the essential supplies Peseshet checks before seeing her patients?

Peseshet checks supplies such as honey, garlic, cumin, acacia leaves, and cedar oil, which are the essentials she needs to treat her patients.

What kind of injury does the temple construction worker have?

The temple construction worker has a broken arm with a 'sed' fracture, which means it is a compound fracture with multiple bone fragments.

How does Peseshet treat a scorpion sting?

Peseshet treats a scorpion sting by reciting an incantation to cast the poison out, invoking Serqet, the goddess of venomous creatures and patron of physicians. She also attempts to cut the poison out with a knife.

What is Peseshet's pregnancy test method?

Peseshet's pregnancy test involves planting two seeds, one barley and one emmer, and urinating on them daily. If the plants grow, it indicates pregnancy, with barley predicting a boy and emmer a girl.

What is the role of Isesi, the doctor-priest Peseshet encounters?

Isesi is a doctor-priest with the role of 'neru pehut,' which translates to 'herdsman of the anus to the royal family,' or guardian of the royal anus.

What is the significance of the House of Life (Per Ankh)?

The House of Life is a place bustling with scribes, priests, doctors, and students. It stores papyri containing various records, including medical information.

What is the role of Peseshet's son, Akhethetep, in the House of Life?

Akhethetep is a promising student who is training to become a scribe by copying documents in the House of Life. His admission is facilitated by his mother and grandfather being scribes.

How does the script depict the limitations of Peseshet's medical knowledge and capabilities?

The script shows Peseshet's limitations when she encounters a woman with a tumor for which there is no known treatment, medicine, or spell. The texts advise to do nothing in such cases.

What does the script imply about the annual flooding of the Nile and its impact on the people?

The script implies that the Nile's annual flooding brings life to the soil, ensuring the next year's harvest, and also预示着 a new influx of patients for Peseshet to treat.