Imhotep and the Discovery of Cerebrospinal Fluid
Author(s) -
Patric Blomstedt
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
anatomy research international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2090-2751
pISSN - 2090-2743
DOI - 10.1155/2014/256105
Subject(s) - papyrus , astrology , magic (telescope) , medicine , classics , ancient history , history , astronomy , physics
Herbowski (2013) suggested recently the Egyptian Imhotep from the 3rd dynasty in Egypt to be the discoverer of cerebrospinal fluid. There are, however, no sources within the first 2000 years after Imhotep suggesting him to be in any way connected with the field of medicine. Over the course of three millennia Imhotep evolves into the sage who besides architecture also masters the arts of medicine, magic, astronomy, and astrology, at the same time as him being transformed from man to demi-God, and finally to a God. The identification of Imhotep as a doctor has thus little to do with facts and it is unlikely that he had anything to do with the Edwin-Smith papyrus from a much later period where CSF is first mentioned.
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