Science and Secrets of Early Medicine

Book excerpt: A pictorial history and in essence, medical archaeology, by the author of The Century of the Surgeon. In Egypt, the Ebers Papyrus (not later than 2100 B.C.) is actually a first textbook; there too, where they tried to cure, they also perfected the art of embalming and from the buried evidence many of the diseases then prevalent can now be identified. Including India, China, Mexico and Peru, this provides a visual history-- there are some 370 illustrations, eight in full color, and it is a fascinating book to look at and learn from.