DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6444#0015
6
KAHUJST PAPYRI.
quantities to be used are often left to the dis-
cretion of the practitioner to determine; but
where necessary the amount is specified, though
in round terms, by measure and not by weight.
In the present text the henu or f pint for
liquids, and the cubic quarter (^) of the held,
making about 4§- cubic inches, for solids, are
the only certain measures, and are very sparingly
used. In the later documents there is more
variety, yet the quantities are on a very con-
ventional scale, and the measure of 4-| cubic
inches is still the favourite amount. A great
advance was made when weight was substituted
for measure, as in the Greek medical works.
It is evident that in Egypt virulent poisons
were not included in the pharmacopoeia.
The third page contained prescriptions of a
somewhat different order, again seventeen in
number: it thus would seem that a prime
number was deemed desirable. Most of these
are obvious quackery, like those on the Verso of
the Berlin Papyrus (XlXth Dynasty), and like
certain favourite recipes of mediaeval practi-
tioners. They relate to ascertaining sterility,
the sex of unborn children, &c. Appropriately
enough, it is in one of these (No. 14) that the
only incantation in the papyrus occurs.
Page I.
[PI. V., 11. 1-29.]
Prescription No. I.
(1) Treatment (?) for a woman [whose eyes ache ?],
who sees not (?) ; and (?) has pain in the neck.
(2) Thou shalt say as to it: it is dejectiones uteri
in oculis suis.
Thou shalt do for it (thus) : (3) fumigate her on
incense and fresh fat; suffi (4) his vulvam
ejus: fumigate her eyes with the shanks of
the legs of bee-eaters (Merops): (5) thou shalt
make her eat the liver (?) of an ass, raw.
1. ss>, precise meaning doubtful: "rule,"
" science " (?).
The restoration of the line is uncertain : we
should perhaps read "who is ill in seeing";
hr mn is usual also in Ebers.
I. 2. The word translated " dejectiones"
might possibly refer to prolapsus and not to
secretions : the remains of the group seem to
justify the restoration h>"w.
For ^ *|* cf. Lorbt, Bee. de Trav. xviii. 196 ff.
It may be read [j ^ ((j c=^a is a totally different
word), or perhaps (_J ^. In this papyrus ^ "j"
is the word for "womb" in general, while
[_J ^ is vulva (exterior), to which medicaments
are applied. In Pap. Ebers, however, ^ "J" 9 >
"j9 seem convertible with \_j ^, applica-
tions being made thereto, &c. The variant
(Nav., 1. 3) in Todt., ch. 148, suggests that °T
may read h't = LJ ^, and that J ^ "cow"
is simply the feminine of ^Jrl " bull."
I. 3. h'p is determined with in the Berlin
papyrus, so probably means "fumigate," in
spite of curious instances, e.g. in 1. 4. It can
hardly mean " plaster." The literal meaning
is " to screen," " cover," and so to " place
above," especially in fumigating.
Prescription No. II.
Treatment for a woman aegrotanti (6) in utero suo
in ambulando.
Thou shalt say as to it: " What is the smell that
thou emittest (lit. causest to be perceived) ? "
If she says to thee, " I am (7) emitting the
smell of roast meat," thou shalt say as to it,
it is nemsu uteri.
Thou shalt do for it {thus): (8) fumigate her with
every sort of roast meat, the smell of which
she emits.
This may be cancer {carcinoma uteri), which
is characterized by a peculiar smell.
I. 6. ssnt-t with suffix of 2nd fern. sing.
Prescription No. III.
Treatment for a woman (9) pained in natibus suis,
abdomine suo, radicibus coxarum suarum.
Thou shalt say as to it: (10) it is excrementa uteri
(see No. I., 1. 2).
KAHUJST PAPYRI.
quantities to be used are often left to the dis-
cretion of the practitioner to determine; but
where necessary the amount is specified, though
in round terms, by measure and not by weight.
In the present text the henu or f pint for
liquids, and the cubic quarter (^) of the held,
making about 4§- cubic inches, for solids, are
the only certain measures, and are very sparingly
used. In the later documents there is more
variety, yet the quantities are on a very con-
ventional scale, and the measure of 4-| cubic
inches is still the favourite amount. A great
advance was made when weight was substituted
for measure, as in the Greek medical works.
It is evident that in Egypt virulent poisons
were not included in the pharmacopoeia.
The third page contained prescriptions of a
somewhat different order, again seventeen in
number: it thus would seem that a prime
number was deemed desirable. Most of these
are obvious quackery, like those on the Verso of
the Berlin Papyrus (XlXth Dynasty), and like
certain favourite recipes of mediaeval practi-
tioners. They relate to ascertaining sterility,
the sex of unborn children, &c. Appropriately
enough, it is in one of these (No. 14) that the
only incantation in the papyrus occurs.
Page I.
[PI. V., 11. 1-29.]
Prescription No. I.
(1) Treatment (?) for a woman [whose eyes ache ?],
who sees not (?) ; and (?) has pain in the neck.
(2) Thou shalt say as to it: it is dejectiones uteri
in oculis suis.
Thou shalt do for it (thus) : (3) fumigate her on
incense and fresh fat; suffi (4) his vulvam
ejus: fumigate her eyes with the shanks of
the legs of bee-eaters (Merops): (5) thou shalt
make her eat the liver (?) of an ass, raw.
1. ss>, precise meaning doubtful: "rule,"
" science " (?).
The restoration of the line is uncertain : we
should perhaps read "who is ill in seeing";
hr mn is usual also in Ebers.
I. 2. The word translated " dejectiones"
might possibly refer to prolapsus and not to
secretions : the remains of the group seem to
justify the restoration h>"w.
For ^ *|* cf. Lorbt, Bee. de Trav. xviii. 196 ff.
It may be read [j ^ ((j c=^a is a totally different
word), or perhaps (_J ^. In this papyrus ^ "j"
is the word for "womb" in general, while
[_J ^ is vulva (exterior), to which medicaments
are applied. In Pap. Ebers, however, ^ "J" 9 >
"j9 seem convertible with \_j ^, applica-
tions being made thereto, &c. The variant
(Nav., 1. 3) in Todt., ch. 148, suggests that °T
may read h't = LJ ^, and that J ^ "cow"
is simply the feminine of ^Jrl " bull."
I. 3. h'p is determined with in the Berlin
papyrus, so probably means "fumigate," in
spite of curious instances, e.g. in 1. 4. It can
hardly mean " plaster." The literal meaning
is " to screen," " cover," and so to " place
above," especially in fumigating.
Prescription No. II.
Treatment for a woman aegrotanti (6) in utero suo
in ambulando.
Thou shalt say as to it: " What is the smell that
thou emittest (lit. causest to be perceived) ? "
If she says to thee, " I am (7) emitting the
smell of roast meat," thou shalt say as to it,
it is nemsu uteri.
Thou shalt do for it {thus): (8) fumigate her with
every sort of roast meat, the smell of which
she emits.
This may be cancer {carcinoma uteri), which
is characterized by a peculiar smell.
I. 6. ssnt-t with suffix of 2nd fern. sing.
Prescription No. III.
Treatment for a woman (9) pained in natibus suis,
abdomine suo, radicibus coxarum suarum.
Thou shalt say as to it: (10) it is excrementa uteri
(see No. I., 1. 2).