Greek Medicine History

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The study of medicine dates back to early 6th century BC, mainly coming from India. From those studies and the several studies continuing after that, remedies and concoctions were made in the hopes of treating and curing diseases and discomforts. Whether it be from a philosopher, medicine man, apothecary, or chemist, the study of pharmaceuticals has been a long and ever advancing journey. Much recorded pharmaceutical knowledge has been recorded around the world since these beginning times. In ancient Egypt, there was the Kahun Papyrus of 2,000 BC filled with veterinary medicine. Also the Edwin Smith and Hearst Papyrus Dated around 1,600 BC. And lastly the Ebers Papyrus of 1,552 BC mentions nearly 700 drugs used in modern medicine. At this time Ancient China had it's own collection of medicines known as Pun Tsao, or great herbal. These medications were primarily made with ingredients like; wine, beer, vinegar, woodworm, opium, honey, and grapes.…show more content…
A five volume book was written in the 1st century AD in the native Greek of the writer, Pedanius Dioscorides. It was later translated to Latin, where it became a stepping stone to many other medieval texts. The Greeks made two giant steps if the area of medicine. The first being they looked for natural causes and effects producing the diseases. Secondly, they produced the first clearly recognizable description of diseases and epidemics. Also in Greece, Galen a physician and natural scientist of the Golden Age 2nd century created the Cold Cream of Roses. Although slightly altered, Cold Cream of Roses appeared in the British Pharmacopeia of 1932. The Greek advancements in medicine gave way to how we treat and discover diseases. It is actually the staff of the Greek healing god, Asklepios, that is the official symbol of medicine world

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