Page 136 - A Historical Lie: The Stone Age

A HISTORICAL LIE: THE STONE AGE

The mummification process is highly complex. First, the brain
and some of the internal organs of the deceased were removed using
special instruments. The next stage in the procedure involved dehy-
drating the body for 40 days with natron. (Natron is a mineral salt,
primarily a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate
with small amounts of sodium chloride and sodium sulfate.) After
the excessive body fluids were reduced, the body cavity was then
stuffed with linen, sand or sawdust. The skin was anointed with spe-
cial herbal preparations and then coated with liquid resin to further
preserve it. Finally the body was carefully wrapped in linen ban-
dages. 46
Mummification, carried out without damaging the shape of the
body and by extracting all the deceased's internal organs, shows that
those who performed it possessed a sufficient knowledge of
anatomy to know the position of all the various organs.
Quite apart from the techniques of mummification, the
Egyptians of 5,000 years ago enjoyed a wide range of other medical
sophistication. For example:
-The priests involved in medicine in Egypt treated many dis-
eases in their temples. Just as today, Egyptian doctors specialized in
various fields of medicine. Every doctor, provided services in his
own specialty.
-Doctors in Egypt were supervised by the state. If the patient
failed to recover or died, the state would investigate the reasons why
and determine whether the method of treatment employed by the
doctor conformed to the rules. If any oversight was found to have
taken place during treatment, the doctor was penalized within the
framework of the law.
-Every temple possessed a well-equipped laboratory in which
medicines were prepared and stored.

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