Classics 2902 Exam Questions With Complete Solutions
"If a man gets a pulsating of the temple and has numbness, you
grind dried e'ru-tree leaves, mix it with wheat flour, sahlu, and
hasu plant and with beer of a tavern keeper into a paste, you
bandage him continually with them until they recover."
problems: Correct Answers 1. Terminology
No idea what plants these are and what they look like
Very vague
Lots of ancient publishers assume that readers understand what
these things are.
2. Ratios
How much of each thing?
"TRUE DOCTORS" and effective prognosis: Correct Answers
Intervene fast and effectively with positive results
Texts teaching effective prognosis & memorable sentences for
all ills
Airs, Waters, Places: prognostic texts preparing a travelling
physician
Epidemics → useful case notes that help a doctor come up with
their own prognosis.
A NOTE ON LANGUAGE: Correct Answers "Rational" vs
"Magical / Supernatural".
Problematic binary.
Scholars desire to classify the study of ancient medicine.
"Rational" and "magical/supernatural" approaches existed side
by side (even worked hand-in-hand)
Both valid approaches.
,"Primitive"
Derogatory.
Disregards so many cultures' medical practices.
Cannot really use these terms.
Awareness of the problematic nature of these terms.
ANAXIMANDER, fl. 560 BCE: Correct Answers Argued that
the first principle was not an element such as air, water or fire.
Things exist in paired opposites → single elements negate the
existence of others.
Underlying cause of everything is indefinite and always existed
(thus divine)
Substance was not created, but always existed and cannot be
destroyed —> divine.
May originate from the Egyptian concept of nun (potential);
fluid and unbound.
Indefinite substance: "includes everything in itself, and guides
everything."
Elements with opposing qualities
Elements are opposite and balance each other out.
According to Anaximander, these elements were separated, with
the earth in the middle covered by a sphere of water, which was
then surrounded by air and ultimately fire.
Experience shows what happens when elements interact.
He believed thunder and lightning were not made by Zeus, but
they were natural occurrences when air was compressed in a
cloud, and then burst out.
Also argued that all animals came from the water, and then
became a different species.
,ANAXIMENES, fl. 546 BCE: Correct Answers Student of
Anaximander
Adopted the idea of change with air as principle cause
Kind of moving away from his teacher, but still sticking with the
notion that everything comes from one single thing.
"As our soul, being air, holds us together, so do breath and air
surround the whole universe".
This is the only sentence we have from his work.
Air is changeable: rarefication (thinness) or condensation
(thickness)
Rarefication = fire
Condensation = water / stone.
Temperature of the air can change.
ANCIENT ANTIBIOTICS: Correct Answers Discovery of
penicillin (1928) by Alexander Fleming.
Bacteria and fungi produce their own antibiotics.
Bone analysis:
Presence of tetracyclines.
95% of Egyptian bones show traces of tetracyclines.
Regular exposure
Consumption of beer (barley has trace amounts of
Streptomyces)
Used to treat infections such as UTIs and small wounds.
Pop-quiz:
What is medical pluralism?
What are the similarities between Egyptian and Mesopotamian
medical culture?
ANCIENT HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS: Correct
Answers PHYSICIANS:
, Emerging from Hippocrates during the 4th and 5th centuries.
Gk.: iatros / iatroi
Lat.: medicus / medici
ROOT CUTTERS ("sorcerers")
Gk. rhizotomos
DRUG TRADERS / SELLERS / MAKERS
pharmacists.
OBSTETRICIANS:
Gk.: maia
Lat.: obstetrix (female physicians/ "midwives")
Also have:
Massage therapists
Gymnastic trainers
Bone setters
Surgeons
Lithomists (surgeons removing bladder stones)
ritual/ shamanic healers.
Temple priests/religious officials.
deities/spirits/supernatural beings.
*medical pluralism.
Patients had a lot of help available towards them to attempt to
restore their help.
Archaeological & textual Correct Answers primary and
secondary sources.
BCE (before the Common Era) Correct Answers 4th c. BCE:
399-300 BCE.
Counting backwards.
Causation Correct Answers seek single entity causing disease
"If a man gets a pulsating of the temple and has numbness, you
grind dried e'ru-tree leaves, mix it with wheat flour, sahlu, and
hasu plant and with beer of a tavern keeper into a paste, you
bandage him continually with them until they recover."
problems: Correct Answers 1. Terminology
No idea what plants these are and what they look like
Very vague
Lots of ancient publishers assume that readers understand what
these things are.
2. Ratios
How much of each thing?
"TRUE DOCTORS" and effective prognosis: Correct Answers
Intervene fast and effectively with positive results
Texts teaching effective prognosis & memorable sentences for
all ills
Airs, Waters, Places: prognostic texts preparing a travelling
physician
Epidemics → useful case notes that help a doctor come up with
their own prognosis.
A NOTE ON LANGUAGE: Correct Answers "Rational" vs
"Magical / Supernatural".
Problematic binary.
Scholars desire to classify the study of ancient medicine.
"Rational" and "magical/supernatural" approaches existed side
by side (even worked hand-in-hand)
Both valid approaches.
,"Primitive"
Derogatory.
Disregards so many cultures' medical practices.
Cannot really use these terms.
Awareness of the problematic nature of these terms.
ANAXIMANDER, fl. 560 BCE: Correct Answers Argued that
the first principle was not an element such as air, water or fire.
Things exist in paired opposites → single elements negate the
existence of others.
Underlying cause of everything is indefinite and always existed
(thus divine)
Substance was not created, but always existed and cannot be
destroyed —> divine.
May originate from the Egyptian concept of nun (potential);
fluid and unbound.
Indefinite substance: "includes everything in itself, and guides
everything."
Elements with opposing qualities
Elements are opposite and balance each other out.
According to Anaximander, these elements were separated, with
the earth in the middle covered by a sphere of water, which was
then surrounded by air and ultimately fire.
Experience shows what happens when elements interact.
He believed thunder and lightning were not made by Zeus, but
they were natural occurrences when air was compressed in a
cloud, and then burst out.
Also argued that all animals came from the water, and then
became a different species.
,ANAXIMENES, fl. 546 BCE: Correct Answers Student of
Anaximander
Adopted the idea of change with air as principle cause
Kind of moving away from his teacher, but still sticking with the
notion that everything comes from one single thing.
"As our soul, being air, holds us together, so do breath and air
surround the whole universe".
This is the only sentence we have from his work.
Air is changeable: rarefication (thinness) or condensation
(thickness)
Rarefication = fire
Condensation = water / stone.
Temperature of the air can change.
ANCIENT ANTIBIOTICS: Correct Answers Discovery of
penicillin (1928) by Alexander Fleming.
Bacteria and fungi produce their own antibiotics.
Bone analysis:
Presence of tetracyclines.
95% of Egyptian bones show traces of tetracyclines.
Regular exposure
Consumption of beer (barley has trace amounts of
Streptomyces)
Used to treat infections such as UTIs and small wounds.
Pop-quiz:
What is medical pluralism?
What are the similarities between Egyptian and Mesopotamian
medical culture?
ANCIENT HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS: Correct
Answers PHYSICIANS:
, Emerging from Hippocrates during the 4th and 5th centuries.
Gk.: iatros / iatroi
Lat.: medicus / medici
ROOT CUTTERS ("sorcerers")
Gk. rhizotomos
DRUG TRADERS / SELLERS / MAKERS
pharmacists.
OBSTETRICIANS:
Gk.: maia
Lat.: obstetrix (female physicians/ "midwives")
Also have:
Massage therapists
Gymnastic trainers
Bone setters
Surgeons
Lithomists (surgeons removing bladder stones)
ritual/ shamanic healers.
Temple priests/religious officials.
deities/spirits/supernatural beings.
*medical pluralism.
Patients had a lot of help available towards them to attempt to
restore their help.
Archaeological & textual Correct Answers primary and
secondary sources.
BCE (before the Common Era) Correct Answers 4th c. BCE:
399-300 BCE.
Counting backwards.
Causation Correct Answers seek single entity causing disease
