The Healing Hand: Man and Wound in the Ancient World

Abstract

I already consider this book, first published in 1975, a classic in its approach to our understanding of wound treatment by many ancient cultures. Dr Majno provides a narrative and visual odyssey of discovery replete with learned yet clear discussions of ancient writings, art forms, metallurgy, and pharmaceuticals. Here we may visually understand the evolution of Assyrian cuneiform writings pertaining to medicine, the amazing complexities of unraveling the Egyptian hieroglyphs and interpreting the ancient medical papyri, and a succinct survey of the Hippocratic corpus of writings, as well as the nearly contemporary Nei Ching medical and philosophical classic from China or the many Indian vedas and mantras relating to medicine and surgery. Dr Majno even reproduces ancient formulas for plasters, poultices, salves, and ointments and proves experimentally their bactericidal or bacteriostatic effects. He analyzes and confirms the bactericidal power of wine and vinegar, both commonly used to wash wounds by