_Dem el Muia_, which in few Hours seizes the Brain like an Apoplexy, and
bereaving it of Sense, soon dispatches the Patient. Every Year once the
_Egyptians_ are surpriz’d by this Disease, and multitudes die dayly of
it. At the same Time Children are wont to be greatly afflicted with a
malignant kind of _Pox_, [Sidenote: _Small Pox._] bred out of venemous
Damps, arising from the corrupt Waters of _Caleg_, a Branch or rather
Trench cut from the _Nile_ to _Alexandria_. Every Year, when that River
rises 8 or 10 Cubits, it falls into this Trench, and so runs thro’ the
whole City; so that, at the retiring of the River, this Water, remaining
without motion, stagnates and corrupts: It first becomes green, then
black, and at length sends fourth Pestilential Vapours, whereby the Air
is polluted and this Infection caus’d, wherefore, some Time before it is
expected, all the Children thereabouts are remov’d to other Places.
_Sandys_ also tells us, [Sidenote: _French Pox._] the _French Pox_ is
exceedingly rife among the _Egyptians_, which however is not to be
wonder’d at if we consider their hot Constitution, excessive Venery,
_&c._
[Sidenote: Malignant _Agues_.]
In _Alexandria_ many malignant and mortal _Agues_ reign about the Time
of their Harvest, occasion’d by drinking the tainted and foul Waters,
which the Townsmen keep from Year to Year in Wells under their Houses.
But the most destructive of all Diseases to the _Egyptians_ is the
_Pestilence_ or _Plague_, [Sidenote: _Plague._] which very frequently
visits them, and is the more prevalent in that they seek no Remedy for
it, as believing none can die of it but such as are destin’d by GOD. For
this Reason they never go about to avoid any infected Person or Place,
for that they look upon as Irreligious. Nay the very Cloaths or
Houshold-Goods of such as die of this Distemper, are instantly sold in
the open Market by Outcry, which none are afraid to buy, thro’ which mad
obstinacy, in this their foolish Opinion, the Plague has in _Cairo_,
during only the space of six or seven Months, sometimes swept away above
Five hundred thousand People, as was observ’d in the Year 1580.
Those _Plagues_ which come out of _Barbary_ are the most pernicious and
of longest continuance, of which kind was the before mention’d; whereas
such as come from _Greece_ or _Syria_ are more mild and of a shorter
duration; for this Disease is seldom or never occasion’d by Putrifaction
of Air in _Egypt_, unless the _Nile_, overflowing the Country too high,
leaves its Waters a long while on the Ground, whereby the whole Land
becoming a corrupt and standing Lake, that by the Southerly Winds and
Summers heat, may be ripen’d and made fit to send up infectious Steams.
That _Plague_ which begins in the first Months of Summer is the worst,
whereas that which comes later is milder and ceases sooner. But let the
_Plague_ rage never so fiercely, when the Sun enters _Cancer_, which is
the Time of _Nile_’s overflowing, it wholly ceases, insomuch that not
one then dies of it, as has been before shown. The Reason of this so
sudden alteration seems to be the even and constant Temperature of the
Air, thro’ the blowing of the anniversary _North Winds_, which then
begin to rise and oppose the moist Nature of the _South Winds_, call’d
_Camsin_. Now these cooling, as well the Air as Mens Bodies, and taking
away the Cause (the infectious Heat) the Effect soon ceases.
Thus far have I shown how the infection of Air and Water may occasion
many Diseases, which therefore are carefully to be avoided as pernicious
to _Embalming_: I shall now only observe, that as the even Temper and
good Humour of Man tends much to his Health and long Life, so that
healthy State and Constitution, either affords a Natural _Embalming_, or
at least such Bodies are easiest to be preserv’d. But whether those
Bodies that dy’d of the Plague, or other malignant Distempers, could
with any Art be preserv’d, is a _Quære_ of no small concern in this our
_Natural History_, and must needs to the _Egyptians_ bring a great
scruple of Conscience, who believ’d the _Metempsychosis_ or
Transmigration of Souls, to think what must become of such Bodies as
were not _Embalm’d_? Since therefore no History can give us any
satisfaction herein, we are inclinable to believe they could not any
ways be preserv’d, by reason of the immediate tendency of such tabid
Carcasses to Putrifaction, and yet we know not but the _Egyptians_ might
do more in this case than others could, both thro’ the efficacy and
goodness of their Medicines, and their not being afraid of the
infectious Steams which issue from such Bodies, during their hot
_Embalming_; which brings me next to enquire into their Skill in
_Physic_, _Anatomy_ and _Chymistry_. In order to this, I shall first
begin with the Rise and Progress of their Physic, according to the
Opinion of the Learned Dr. _Grew_; and then shew its Effects, and how it
was practis’d, as affirm’d by _Herodotus_, _Diodorus Siculus_, _Prosper
Alpinus_, and others.
[Sidenote: _Egyptians_ first Authors of _Medicine_.]
‘The _Egyptians_, says Dr. _Grew_ in his _Cosmologia Sacra_, p. 265.
being from sundry Causes (some of which we have already discours’d of)
the most diseas’d of all People, were also the first Authors of
Medicine. _Mizraim_ their first King, otherwise call’d _Menez_,
_Osiris_, _Dionisius_ and _Bacchus_, all being Names of the same Person,
together with his Wife _Isis_, apply’d himself to furnish his People
with wholsome Food. He with Wine, which he had learn’d to make of his
Grandfather _Noah_; [Sidenote: _Osiris_ taught them _Drink_ and _Food_.]
and with Water, in making the best use of the River _Nile_; and She, by
teaching them, among so many various sorts of Roots and Fruits,
[Sidenote: _Isis_ salubrious _Plants_.] wherewith _Egypt_ abounds, to
distinguish the _Noxious_, many of which, as _Sulpitius Severus_ and _P.
Alpinus_ observe, are very sweet and tempting, from those which are
wholsome and fit to eat; from whence she was call’d Ὑγεία and _Salus_.
‘Their next King was _Orus_, by _Herodotus_, _Diodorus Siculus_ and
_Athenagoras_ in his Apology to the _Christians_, said to be _Osiris_’s
Son. This Prince seeing Food already provided for, bethought himself of
some means, such as they were, for the cure of Diseases. The first step
he took, being affrighted with a _Plague_, was to offer Sacrifice to the
Celestial Bodies, which he suppos’d Gods, and the only Arbiters of Life
and Death. Therefore _Anebo_ the _Egyptian_ Priest, [Sidenote: These
_Orus_, Son of _Osiris_, apply’d for _Physic_, by Sacrificing them.]
personated by _Jamblichus_, in his Book of the _Egyptian Mysteries_
says, That, even in his Time, they knew no other way of curing that
Disease; and what _Isis_ had found out for Food, he thought best apply’d
to this purpose. So _Porphyrius_ in his Book of Sacrifices tells us, the
most ancient _Egyptians_, _Cœlestibus litabant_, with Herbs, Roots and
Fruits, which at first _Orus_ offer’d singly, but afterwards compounded,
supposing them thereby, as is intimated by _Proclus_, the more
acceptable.
‘The _Plague_ and other contagious Diseases, being blown away, as they
commonly were and are, by the _North Winds_, _Orus_ thought it decent to
solemnize his Sacrifices with Music; [Sidenote: To which he added
_Music_.] and that he had excellent Skill herein, is witness’d by
_Diodorus_, from whence also he is taken to be the _Egyptian Apollo_.
Now finding Music acceptable to the People, he apply’d that also, with
the Sacrifices to which it was annex’d, towards the cure of Diseases;
for which Reason Music is by _Jamblichus_, in his Book aforesaid,
enobl’d with the Title of Divine. And it seem’d, for many Ages after, so
necessary to Medicine, as to give occasion to _Thessalus_, Head of the
Methodic Sect in the Reign of _Nero_, to brag, That he could make
Physicians without the help either of Astrology or Music. Thus all Music
consisting in a proportionate Measure, he saw it requisite the Notes or
Tunes, and Words he us’d with them, should be commensurate one to the
other, and so became the first Poet or Maker of Verses; [Sidenote: And
_Poetry_.] which being us’d with Music, were suppos’d to have the same
Divine Virtue, and came at length to be us’d alone in the cure of
Diseases. And it is by _Sanchuniathon_ affirm’d, that _Misora_, that is
_Misraim_, [Sidenote: Thence thought to be the _Egyptian Apollo_.] was
one of those two antient Gods, whose Sons were the Inventors of
Medicinal Charms, which as it seems were all the means _Orus_, or the
_Egyptian Apollo_, invented for the cure of Diseases, _viz._
_Sacrifices_, _Music_ and _Charms_, upon which three he began likewise
to build the Art of Divination; and as a branch hereof, his Magical
Prognostics in relation to Diseases. ’Next to _Orus_ succeeded
_Athothus_; by _Sanchuniathon_ nam’d, _Taautus_; by the less antient
_Egyptians_, [Sidenote: _Athothus_ the antient _Egyptian Mercury_,]
_Thoyth_, and by the _Greeks_ in _Alexandria_, _Thoth_. He was the most
antient _Egyptian Mercury_; said by _Manetho_ and _Eratosthenes_ to be
Son of _Menez_ or _Mizraim_, and was therefore younger Brother to
_Orus_, whom he succeeded by _Noah_’s Gift, as is witness’d by
_Sanchuniathon_: _Saturnus, in Deum Taautum a Misore Natum, Egypti
Regnum contulit_. This Man, to add to what his Predecessor had done,
[Sidenote: The Inventor of _Images_,] was the Inventor of Images,
dedicated to the Sun, Moon and Stars, with their Figures upon them,
according to their position in the Heavens, supposing they would be more
effectually mov’d by the Sacrifices offer’d to them, if thereby honour’d
and represented. And that none might be without what he thought so
necessary for the Peoples Health, he caus’d the making not only of
Images of Gold and Silver, but certain Sculptures or Paintings upon Wood
or some other Ground. The Figures or Marks, made upon all these,
[Sidenote: _Characters_,] were properly call’d _Characters_, and were
the original of all those us’d by Magicians in after Times for the cure
of Diseases: Whence it is these _Characters_, which were properly made,
are said by _Jamblichus_ to be _Diis congrui_, that is, agreeable to the
Celestial Bodies, they were suppos’d to represent; in which Sense also
the Author of the Epistle to the _Hebrews_, speaking of the Second
Person in the Sacred Trinity, uses the same word.
‘The same _Athothus_, observing how naturally the Music of the
Sacrifices put the Body into many Motions, [Sidenote: and _Dancing_.]
took thence occasion to reduce the motion of the Feet, as _Apollo_ had
done those of Speech, to a proportionate Measure, that is, to an
artificial Dance. That he was first Author hereof, is agreed from his
being describ’d with Wings, not only on his Shoulders, but Heels; and
that he had taught the People to apply it to Religion, is as evident
from the _Jews_, who had learn’d of the _Egyptians_ to dance about the
Golden Calf. Now, seeing this naturally conduces towards the cure of
some Diseases, ’tis likely he hereupon invented several sorts of Dances,
not as yet considering their natural but magical Aptitude to divers
kinds of Diseases, supposing certain Numbers and Measures, might as well
as Words, have a Divine Power. Now that he might make his Motions with
greater ease in so hot a Country, ’tis probable he danc’d half naked, as
_David_ did before the Ark, disdaining the Author of this Ceremony
should shew more Zeal before an Idol, than he did before the true GOD.
Therefore as the word _Gymnasium_ does properly signifie the Place where
People exercise themselves when stripp’d; so upon this Foundation, which
_Athothus_ or the first _Egyptian Mercury_ laid, was afterwards rais’d
the _Gymnastic Art_. For this Cause also _Jamblichus_, speaking of the
Powers which flow from the Gods, among those which co-operate with
Nature, mentions only the _Medicinal_ and _Gymnastic_ as the two
principal, and of kin to each other; nor is there ground to imagine,
that in Medicine, _Athothus_ or the first _Mercury_, understood any
Thing more. So that all the means the _Egyptians_ made use of hitherto
in the cure of Diseases, _viz._ ’till about the 350th Year after the
Flood, were to be referr’d intirely to their practical _Theology_,
stil’d by _Jamblichus_ θεουργική τέχνη, of which their magical Medicine
was a principal part. [Sidenote: Sacrific’d _Animals_, and learn’d
_Embalming_ and _Anatomy_.] After him they began to Sacrifice Animals as
well as Plants, and learn’d the _Art_ of _Embalming_. The Priests had
hereby an opportunity of observing the structure of the inward Parts;
and so of making many, both Anatomic and Pathologic Remarks. In doing
this it appears by what _Pliny_ says, _Lib._ 19. 5. _That Kings
themselves did often assist_. Also frequently perceiving the inefficacy
of their _Magic_, they began likewise to enquire into the Physical power
of Herbs, and other Remedies proper for the cure of Diseases, and the
Cures suppos’d to be made, whether by natural or magical Arts, were
preserv’d by some sort of Memoirs made of them by the Priests,
[Sidenote: _Serapis_ or _Apis_ the _Egyptian Æsculapius_.] wherein a
more especial care was taken by _Serapis_ or _Apis_ one of the Chief,
and the _Egyptian Æsculapius_. Upon these accounts, the Priests, as they
were the Doctors in Philosophy, [Sidenote: _Priests_ the proper
_Physicians_.] so were they the only Physicians, properly so call’d, by
whom Directions were given to _Surgeons_, _Embalmers_, and all other
Operators appertaining to Medicine. They were also of that honourable
Degree, as _Gyraldus_ reports from _Plato_, that out of them the Kings
were often chosen. For altho’ the Servants of _Joseph_, who _Embalm’d_
his Father, were term’d Physicians, yet are we to understand those Men,
who were directed by the Priests, the true Physicians, to be only
Operators in curing the Infirm or _Embalming_ the Dead. Wherefore the
_Septuagint_, who knew the Law in this Case, do not say, the Command was
given τοῖς Ἰατροῖς but τοῖς ἐνταφιασταῖς, a sort of Men to whom the Care
of Funerals was committed.
‘The next and greatest Improver and Patron of the _Egyptian_ Medicine,
[Sidenote: _Hermes Trismegistus._] was _Hermes Trismegistus_, so call’d
says _Diodorus Siculus_, and others after him, from ἑρμηνεύω, by reason
he interpreted the _Hieroglyphics_ and Sacred _Language_: But this tho’
he did, yet the derivation of his Name from thence is a fiction; for
according to the _Greek_ manner of deriving a Noun from a Verb, he
should not have been call’d Ἑρμῆς but Ἑρμηνεὺς; and therefore on the
contrary, as Ἑλληνίος, ἑλληνίζω and other like Words, are all deriv’d
from Ἕλλην the Son of _Deucalion_, who first planted _Greece_; so
ἑρμηνεύς, ἑρμηνεύω, and other Words of the same nature are all deriv’d
from Ἑρμῆς; for the Original whereof, we are not to look into _Greece_
but _Egypt_, where we find _Armais_, one of their Kings, and somewhat
junior to _Moses_, [Sidenote: Suppos’d to be _Armais_.] as _Hermes_ is
also said to be. The radical Letters in both are also the same. This
_Armais_ was also call’d _Amersis_ or _Mersurius_, and so by mistake
_Mercurius_; the _Coptic_ Letter _Sima_ being written like the _Roman_
C, and also _Trismegistus_, or thrice very great, answerable to a like
_Egyptian_ Name, now lost, given him, [Sidenote: A great _Philosopher_,
_Priest_ and _King_.] as he was esteem’d a great Philosopher, a great
Priest and a great King.
[Sidenote: The second _Mercury_.]
‘This second _Mercury_, having before him a considerable stock of
Observations provided by the Priests, and several others of his own,
compos’d all, as _Jamblichus_ from _Sulencus_ and _Manetho_ reports,
into many thousands of Volumes, that is, of so many Leaves roul’d up of
Books, afterwards made of these Volumes. _Clemens Alexandrinus_,
_Strom._ 6. says, _There were Forty two which were useful_; six of them
appertaining to Medicine, _viz._ of _Anatomy_, _Diseases_, _Surgery_,
_Pharmacy_, particular Medicines for the _Eyes_, infected with many
Diseases in _Egypt_, and lastly for _Women_; which Books became, as may
be gather’d from _Diodorus Siculus_, as it were the Statute-Law in
_Egypt_, for the practice in Physic in after Times. [Sidenote: The great
establisher of _Magic_.] Yet in all these Books, it is certain, with the
physical Account of Things, there was a mixture of _Magic_; the Author
of them being the great Establisher of this Art. Now if some
Chronologers are not mistaken when they say _Armais_ was the King who
was drown’d in the _Red-Sea_, then this same _Armais_, that is, _Hermes
Trismegistus_ must be the very Man, who by his Magicians contended with
_Moses_; and was therefore rais’d up, the more remarkably to confound
them at his fall. It is manifest the Books now and antiently extant,
under this _Hermes_’s Name, are all of this Nature; which tho’ not
written by him, but by certain of the later _Egyptian_ Priests, are
believ’d by _Jamblichus_, _Porphirius_ and others, faithfully to
represent his Sense. Therefore _Celsus_, also quoted by _Origen_ against
him, _Lib._ 8. tells us, as a piece of _Egyptian Philosophy_, in his
Time current, That the Body of Man was divided into Thirty six Parts;
each of which was possess’d with a _God_ or _Dæmon_, which being call’d
upon by the _Magi_, cur’d the Diseases of the parts they possess’d. And
as they appropriated several unto one Man, so, says _Herodotus_, did
they to every Beast one; to all, says _Justin_, but the _Hog_. And by
the Author of the Book entitul’d, _Trismegisti Asclepias_, the same in
effect is said of Plants and Stones, _viz._ That there was τὸ Θεῖον,
something of Divinity in them all; nor was the magical Ceremony laid
aside in _Galen_’s Time, as appears by what he reports of one
_Pamphilus_, _Qui ad Præstigiaturas Ægyptias versus fuit, junctis
Incantationibus quas obmurmurat, cum Herbas colligunt_. Also the Author
of the Book, _De Medicamentis Expertis_, ascrib’d to _Galen_, speaking
of the _Egyptian_ Priests, has this passage, _Laudamus Medicos
Altarium_, Ægyptiorum puta, _qui curant cum Cibis Sacrificiorum_.
[Sidenote: _Magical Medicine_ spread over most _Countries_.]
‘Nor did magical Medicine keep within _Egypt_ only, but was thence
spread abroad into most other Countries, partly as they fell under the
Government of some of their conquering Kings, and partly as _Egypt_ was
the great Academy, to which the Philosophers of other Nations made their
resort, and whence Physicians were often call’d unto Foreign Princes,
who, with their physical, carry’d abroad their magical Skill. The
younger _Apollo_ was Author of _Divination_ in _Greece_, as the elder
was in _Egypt_. Also in _Epidaurus_, _Cous_ and other Places, his Temple
was always full of sick People; as was likewise that of _Æsculapius_.
[Sidenote: _Medicines_, why call’d _Pharmaca_.]
‘Medicines were term’d _Pharmaca_, which antiently signify’d Poysons,
because it was believ’d, unless they were magically us’d, they would do
more hurt than good; therefore _Jarchas_, in his Life of _Apollonius_,
tells us also, They who were esteem’d Sons of _Æsculapius_ had made but
small proficiency in the Art of Medicine, _Nisi Æsculapius, juxta Patris
sui Vaticinia, Morbis proficua Remedia composuisset_. Nor were the
Oriental Nations without their _Teraphim_, a sort of constellated
Images, by them so call’d, and us’d, among other purposes, in the cure
of Diseases; from whence θεραπεύω, signifies both to worship and heal.
_Eusebius_ also in his _Prol. ad_ Lib. 4. _Præp. Evang._ reduces all to
_Theology_, as in _Egypt_, so among the rest of the _Gentiles_: _In
Gentilium Theologia Civili, continentur Oracula, Responsa, & Curæ
Morborum_. So true is that Saying of _Celsus_, concerning _Hippocrates_
in his Præface: _Primus Disciplinam hanc_, Medicinalem puta, _ab studio
Sapientiæ separavit_: that is, from _magical Theology_, the reputed
Wisdom of those Times.’
That this was the antient state of Medicine in _Egypt_, and all over the
World, is farther apparent from the _Hebrews_, being peremptorily
requir’d to expel from among them, all such as practis’d the same,
_Deut._ 18. 10, 11. Those who Sacrifice their Children, as the
_Phænicians_ did for a Remedy against the Plague, as also Diviners,
Observers of Times, Enchanters, Witches, Charmers, Consulters of
Familiar Spirits, Wizards and Necromancers; so many kinds of Magicians,
who among other Things, undertook the Cure and Prognostics of Diseases,
so many several ways, particularly the Charmer, _v._ 11. term’d by the
_Septuagint_, φαρμακὸς ἐπαείδων ἐπαοιδήν one that us’d Medicines and
Charms together: [Sidenote: _Magic_ us’d in _Embalming_.] Thus was
_Magic_ so generally mix’d by the _Egyptians_ with their _Physic_, that
the very Dead that were _Embalm’d_ were not free from it. This appears
from the various Ornaments of their _Mummies_, being adorn’d with
painted Characters and Hieroglyphics, and defended by several little
Idols or Averruncal Gods. Some of these were plac’d within the Bodies,
as suppos’d, perhaps to preserve them from Corruption; and others were
sow’d to their out-sides, plac’d upon their Tombs, or in their
Burial-Vaults, there to guard them from external Injuries, and by the
various Shapes they represented, to deter Men from violating them; but
of these we shall speak more particularly in another place.
Yet however Superstitious and Idolatrous the antient _Egyptians_ were in
Magical Physic, they were soon convinc’d of the inefficacy of such
Practices, therefore study’d other Methods and Physical Remedies, which
might prove more prevalent; and altho’ they did not immediately leave
off the former, yet was it to the latter only their admirable success in
Physic was owing. In like manner are we to believe the preservation of
dead Bodies was not effected by those Charms or Idols, found about them,
but purely perform’d by an extraordinary Skill in _Medicine_ and
_Anatomy_, and particularly in that exquisite _Art_ of _Embalming_. In
this, that they might be the better instructed, and more thoroughly
knowing, they took such infallible Methods, as none could hardly be
ignorant of that part they were to perform; for they had these several
Persons belonging to and employ’d in _Embalming_, [Sidenote: _Persons_
how qualify’d for _Embalming_.] each performing a distinct and separate
Office, _viz._ a _Designer_ or _Painter_, a _Dissector_ or _Anatomist_,
a _Pollinctor_ or _Apothecary_, an _Embalmer_ or _Surgeon_, and a
_Physician_ or _Priest_, which last was a great _Philosopher_, and
taught and instructed the others in these Ceremonies, as we shall shew
in its proper Place.