The Quick and the Dead : Biomedical Theory in Ancient Egypt.

Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- Figures and Table -- Preface -- Transliteration and Abbreviations -- Chapter 1. Sources of Egyptian Biomedical Knowledge -- Magic and Processes of Science -- Egyptological Sources of Evidence -- Biological Sources of Evidence -- Ethnographic Sources of Evidence -- Chapter 2. Life and Death -- Egyptian Priests' Preoccupations with Problems of Death and Rebirth -- Textual Sources and Portrayals -- Rituals and Concepts -- Ka as a Concept Underlying Ritual -- Animal Associations with Life -- Animal Associations with Death -- Conclusions -- Chapter 3. Predynastic Egypt as 'Cattle Culture' -- Bos primigenius and Wild Bull Hunts -- Cattle Domestication and Milk Drinking -- Pharaoh as Bull, People as Cattle -- Sun and Gods as Bulls -- Bovine Gods of Fertility and Power: Living Bull Gods -- Some Comparisons -- Bovine Sacrifice -- Egyptian Temple Herds and Cattle Wealth -- Baboons as Bulls -- Conclusions -- Chapter 4. The Approach of Comparative Biomedicine -- Analogy and Biomedical Progress -- Animal Dissections in Egypt -- Continuing Importance of Comparative Biomedicine -- The Microbiological Revolution -- Conclusions -- Chapter 5. 'Live Flesh': Rudiments of Muscle Physiology -- Motion and Irritability as Evidences of Life -- Opening-of-the-Mouth Ritual -- Laboratory Reenactment -- Ka as the Animating Principle -- Comparison of Ka to Nilotic Ring -- Other Comparisons -- Conclusions -- Chapter 6. Physiology of the Spine -- Spine and Life -- Keeping the Body Intact -- Bone Marrow and Life -- Particular Importance of Thoracic Vertebrae -- Meaning of Ankh -- Theories about Ankh's Origin -- [Images] as Thoracic Vertebra -- Clinical Proof -- Spine and Death -- Mtwt and a Physiological Analogy between Opposites -- Comparative Findings -- The Principal Supporting Vertebrae for the Body.

Djed and Backbone -- [Images] as the Sacral and Lumbar Spine -- Other Theories of Djed's Origin Subsumed -- Comparative Observations -- Conclusions -- Chapter 7. The Male Reproductive System -- The Male's Role in Reproduction -- The Was-Scepter, Penis and Dominion -- Dominion as a Behavioral and Social Phenomenon -- Baboons and Sexual Exercise of Dominion -- Gods' Penises and Dominion -- Penis Analogs -- [Images] as Bull's Penis -- Additional Biological Evidence -- The Ancient Egyptian Mindset -- [Images] as the Male Reproductive System -- Semen Analogs -- Conclusions -- Chapter 8. The Egyptian Healing Establishment -- Egyptian Healers -- Some Comparisons With Greece -- Per Ankh, Hut Ankh and Their Functions -- Some Comparisons With Greece -- The Kahun Veterinary Papyrus -- Conclusions -- Chapter 9. Egyptian Biomedical Science: Theories and Implications -- Structure of the Body -- Functions of Organs -- The Egyptians' Synthesis: A First Approximation -- Pathogenesis -- Comparative Reproductive Physiology and Medicine -- A Further Word about Materials and Methods -- Boundaries to Biomedical Innovation -- A Natural Laboratory -- Episodic Biomedical Progress -- Secrecy and 'Turfs' as Antiscience -- Chance Observations and the Prepared Mind -- Conclusions -- Epilogue. Broader Implications of Healing in a Fused or Integrated Society -- Integrated Societies Revisited -- Broader Implications of the Boundaries-Bull Model -- Some Final Thoughts -- References -- General Index -- General Index EGYPTOLOGICAL MEMOIRS.

A cross-disciplinary approach suggesting that the origin of ancient Egyptian medicine began with the domestication of cattle in Africa and the attempt to control disease. With the sacrifice of these animals, the Egyptians began to understand anatomy and physiology, which they then applied to humans.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.