Abstract
Allergic diseases are attributed to modern times and urban lifestyle. This manuscript discusses the narrations mentioned about suspected allergic disorders within Egyptian, Chinese, and Greco-Roman texts that represent the prominent civilizations of antiquity and also the quoted symptoms observed in some historically important figures, which might be considered as rudimentary case reports. The symptoms mentioned in ancient texts are only suggestive of allergic diseases. The present evidence is not conclusive enough to assert that allergic diseases were prevalent –at least not as much as today- in that age.
Highlights
The term allergy was first used in 1906 by the Austrian physician Clemens von Pirquet (1874-1929) to express a different from previous reaction (Greek allos: other, ergon: work) of an individual against a material to which the individual became sensitized [1]
The present evidence is not conclusive enough to assert that allergic diseases were prevalent –at least not as much as today- in that age
Some signs and symptoms attributable to allergic diseases such as allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, allergic asthma, urticaria, and atopic dermatitis were mentioned in ancient texts
Summary
The term allergy was first used in 1906 by the Austrian physician Clemens von Pirquet (1874-1929) to express a different from previous reaction (Greek allos: other, ergon: work) of an individual against a material to which the individual became sensitized [1]. The text did not mention the symptoms more characteristic for respiratory allergies such as nasal discharge, sneeze, and shortness of breath Some trees such as juniper were believed to poison the air and their shadow was believed to harm the crop in antiquity [27]. In the book entitled De vita Caesarum by Suetonius (69-130 CE), Emperor Augustus (27 BCE – 14 CE) was mentioned as follows [41]: “He had diffuse rash due to continuous scratching He had some disorders repeating the same period of every year: he got weak just before his birthday every year, he had chest tightness every spring, and he had coryza in the season of southern winds.”. Considering the family history, it can be suggested that Claudius had perennial allergic rhinoconjunctivitis [12]
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