Physicians' Desk Reference: Ancient Edition

Oldest Cancer Case

A skeleton dating back to 1,200 B.C. shows the earliest evidence of a human being who died of metastatic cancer, according to an article published earlier this week in the journal PLOS ONE.

Cancer today is among the leading causes of death, according to the World Health Organization, accounting for around 8.2 million deaths in 2012. Despite its prevalence today, few examples exist in the archaeological record of fatal instances of the disease in the ancient world. Similarly, while we have an increasing number of means of treating cancer in whatever form in might manifest, evidence is lacking as to how the disease was treated in antiquity.

While they certainly didn't have the same medical knowledge or access to pharmaceuticals or other technology, ancient medical practitioners did have their own means and methods of addressing a variety of diseases and conditions. See how doctors of antiquity treated their patients.

Surgery

One of the oldest surgical procedures practiced as early as the Neolithic era is called trepanation. In case the photo isn't clear enough, trepanation is the practice of drilling holes into the skull. The intention was to treat diseases affecting the brain, such as epilepsy or mental illness. Remember: This surgical procedure was invented and practiced long before the advent of anaesthesia.

Although trepanation was performed without sterile conditions of the modern operating room and before the discovery of modern antibiotics, the survival rates of these procedures was about 60 percent, though that number is a soft estimate based on limited studies given that the procedures was practiced over many centuries and across different civilizations.

Prosthetics

Ancient Egyptian medical practitioners were skilled enough not only to perform surgical amputations but also craft basic prostheses to substitute for missing body parts.

The world's oldest prostheses, discovered in the necropolis of Thebe near present-day Luxor, are a set of two wooden toes. One of the toes, dating back to at least 600 B.C., is made from cartonnage, a compound composed of linen, glue and plaster. The other, which traces back to between 950 to 710 B.C., was made of wood and leather, and discovered on a mummy named Tabaketenmut.

Malnutrition at Sea

For sailors at sea for months at a time, one of the biggest concerns on an extended voyage was malnutrition. Micronutrient deficiencies as a result of not getting enough fruits and vegetables could lead to diseases like scurvy, which can be fatal if left untreated.

In order to ensure adequate nutrition at sea, ancient Roman sailors appear to have been equipped with vegetable pills, based on evidence found in a medical kit in a 2,000-year-old shipwreck discovered off the coast of Tuscany. Based on DNA analysis of the contents of two of the pills, researchers discovered a mix of plants, including carrot, radish, parsley, celery, alfalfa and more. In addition to the vegetable pills, researchers also discovered a bleeding cup, surgical hook and mortar.

Dentistry

It's easy to complain about having to take a trip to the dentist these days, but then again having bad teeth could be fatal in the ancient world.

A 2,100-year-old Egyptian mummy reveals a wealthy man from Thebes who likely died in his late 20s or early 30s of a painful sinus infection brought on by numerous dental abscesses. While dentistry had been practiced in ancient Egypt as far back as 5,000 years ago, the number of cavities and infections in this man's mouth would have overwhelmed even a modern practitioner.

In order to provide the patient with some kind of relief, the ancient dentist used linens dipped in medicine to ease the pain and surround the largest cavities to prevent contact with food.

Read more at Discovery News