Page:The Harveian oration 1904.djvu/48

THE HARVEIAN ORATION, 1904 23 colonnade. To the left is a portion of the great pylon of the temple of Isis.

I am indebted to the courtesy of the Egyptian Public Works Department and to Captain Lyons for the privilege of reproducing these views of the temple of I-em-hotep at Philae."

I may mention in passing that, although the medical papyri which have come down to us are no doubt only an insignificant fraction of those possessed by the Egyptians, we, nevertheless, find in them abundant reference to medicine and surgery. In the Kahun papyrus obstetrics is dealt with. Gynaecology, also ophthalmology, materia medica, diseases of the ear, tongue, and nerves, also dentistry, are the subjects of others, and even veterinary medicine was treated of in a papyrus, a fragment of which was found by Professor Flinders Petrie.

According to Herodotus, Egyptian physicians specialized to a considerable extent, ⚫ Each physician applies himself to one disease only.' Some,' he says, 'are for the eyes alone, others for the head, others for the teeth, others for diseases of the abdomen, others again for special internal diseases.'2 As to dentistry it may be remarked that the ancient Egyptians were probably I. A Report on the Island and Temples of Philae, by Capt. G. H. Lyons, R.E., Public Works Department, Egypt. 2. Euterpe, 84