Potions To Pills : A History of Medicine

Traditionally every tribe had their 'medicine man or woman' the person able to cure the ailments and banished the evil spirits that haunted their people. There are many Gods and Goddesses who are associated with medicine but it is a flesh and blood mortal who history attributes as being the first doctor.


The earliest recorded physician in history is the ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Imhotep. It is also believed that he wrote the Edwin Smith Papyrus. The papyrus, written around 1700 BC, is unique for it's time in that it is devoid of magical references and instead focuses on illnesses and their possible cures.

Legend says that Imhotep appeared in the dreams of the ill and told them of cures for their illness. Another legend states that infertile couples who prayed to Imhotep at his temple would later be able to conceive children.

Imhotep was born a commoner and he is believed to be the only Egyptian God who was not born into royalty. According to Sir William Osler, Imhotep was the 'Father of Medicine' and 'the first figure of a physician to stand out clearly from the the mists of antiquity.' Imothep wrote many textbooks about medicine and diagnostics. He made many advances in the early days of medicine, including treatment of wounds and broken bones. He even wrote about tumours. Imhotep was later worshipped as a God by the Egyptian people and he laid the foundations that modern medicine has been building on for centuries since.