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ANCIENT MEDICINE
Hippocrates examines a youth |
IN 79 A.D. the eruption of Vesuvius buried the Roman cities of Pompei and Herculaeneum. Among the treasures excavated in Herculaneum were a small chest of ancient medical and surgical instruments that provide insight into the practice of ancient surgery and medicine. |
BEAR in mind that there was NO antisepsis and very little analgesia when these instruments were employed.
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| Instrument Case | Scalpels | Tenacula - artery hooks |
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| Bone Drills | Bone forceps | Urethral catheters and sounds |
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| Speculum | Papaver somniferum | Poppy juice |
THE pharmacopia (medicine chest of drugs) in antiquity was restricted largely to: (1) opium-derivatives that dulled consciousness and induced sleep, (2) cathartics (drugs that induced diarrhea) and (3) emetics (drugs that induce vomiting). There were NO SPECIFIC MEDICINES that actually CURED ANY DISEASES, with the exception of bathing in sulphur-springs, that could sometimes cure scabies.
This Webpage was created for a workshop held at Saint Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo, California in 2001....x.... .
