The Civil War and the Modern Prosthetics Industry

The Civil War and the Modern Prosthetics Industry

Amputations were performed as early as 950 BC in Egypt, where a wooden prosthetic toe was found in the mummified remains of an ancient king in Egypt. Known as the “Cairo toe”, it showed great attention to detail in the carving of the toenail and the stain...
Ancient Medicine: Lamb’s Ear

Ancient Medicine: Lamb’s Ear

We know Lamb’s Ear as the soft, silvery-green leaves in a flower garden that are fun to pick and are especially good for children to “pet”. But once upon a time, Lamb’s Ear was also known as Woundwort, because the leaves were believed to have...
Dioscorides – Father of Modern Pharmacology

Dioscorides – Father of Modern Pharmacology

Pedanius Dioscorides was a Greek physician, born about 30 AD in Asia Minor (now modern Turkey). Two thousand years after his birth he is still remembered for the major contribution he made to medicine and pharmacology. Dioscorides was attached to the Roman Empire...
Ancient Medicine: Comfrey

Ancient Medicine: Comfrey

You may have known that honey could be used as a dressing for wounds, and some of you out there perhaps knew that willow bark contained the main ingredient in aspirin, but I dare say not too many people know the uses of Comfrey. Comfrey has had lots of other names...
Ancient Medicine: The Water-Loving Willow

Ancient Medicine: The Water-Loving Willow

Another staple of ancient medicine was the water-loving willow tree. The use of willow bark dates back to Hippocrates in 400 BC. American Indians chewed willow bark to relieve fever and inflammation. Willow bark contains a substance called salicin. Salicin is used to...
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