SOUTHAMPTON MEDICAL SOCIETY
President: Dr Alan Roberts FRCP
A meeting of the Society was held on December 7th 2022. The President was in the chair.
The minutes of the last meeting were approved. The President then introduced the speaker for the evening Dr Keith Liddell who spoke to the title Medicine, Disease and Doctors in Antiquity.
Dr Liddell started his survey of over 5000 years of medicine in antiquity with a photo of mummified bodies from 4000 years BC found in China. He visited the site and subsequent gene analysis showed that they were Celts and not Chinese. The Chinese government regarded this as a sensitive finding. Dr Liddell said that there were skin changes on the bodies of fungal infection and also that they had nits.
Hippocrates said that a physician must know what went before. Winston Churchill said that the longer you look back the longer you can look forward.
Therefore it was important to study the ancient past. Humanity has always suffered from diseases which are similar to those of today. They also had treatments.
Studying the bodies revealed interesting things such as sacrificed Inca children had their skulls smashed in, or that the Neanderthal man’s body found in the alps had an arrow that had punctured his lung. A toothless man found in Georgia was believed to be 1,700,000 years old.
But bodies are not always available. In which case, he said, study the bones. A Neanderthal skeleton showed signs of a surgical amputation 50,000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians after performing trephination of the skull, a procedure which was performed in all civilisations, sealed the wound with a copper patch. Diseases or wounds affecting the joints and bones reveal so much about the lives of the ancients.
If no body or bones could be studied then look at their Art. Ancient art has revealed many diseases such as a case of Sturge Weber syndrome from 2nd C AD or a severe case of Leishmaniasis. Cave drawings show hunting accidents and erotic scenes. Sculptures reveal fertility practices.
Finally study the writings. The Edwin Smith papyrus from 176BC is a comprehensive manual on surgery for military wounds. The Berlin Papyrus describes urine tests for pregnancy. The Chester Beattie Papyrus has a treatment for anal itch. The Ebers Papyrus describes treating ulcers with honey.
Dr Liddell also described some of his worldwide visits to archeological sites. It was a talk rich in examples.
The President thanked Dr Liddell for his fascinating and learned talk.