To use evidence to find out about prehistoric medicine Before people wrote things down

Prehistoric people were nomadic hunters Tick the correct sentences An area the size of Britain would only contain a few thousand people Human waste was easily got rid of and people moved on before dirt and waste had built up There was no government and no one to turn to outside the hunting band if things went wrong Meet was usually plentiful as there was many wild animals and so few people People cooked meat over fires People lived in temporary shelters People knew a lot about plants Berries, wild leaves and roots were eaten as vegetables There was lots of clean water available from streams and rivers The nomadic hunting lifestyle provided people with plenty of exercise Prehistoric people were farmers Prehistoric people had a poor diet Prehistoric people had poor teeth Prehistoric people could not communicate Prehistoric people drank alcohol

Prehistoric people were nomadic hunters Tick the correct sentences An area the size of Britain would only contain a few thousand people Human waste was easily got rid of and people moved on before dirt and waste had built up There was no government and no one to turn to outside the hunting band if things went wrong Meet was usually plentiful as there was many wild animals and so few people People cooked meat over fires People lived in temporary shelters People knew a lot about plants Berries, wild leaves and roots were eaten as vegetables There was lots of clean water available from streams and rivers The nomadic hunting lifestyle provided people with plenty of exercise Prehistoric people were farmers Prehistoric people had a poor diet Prehistoric people had poor teeth Prehistoric people could not communicate Prehistoric people drank alcohol

Herbs

Weapons

Looking at the evidence what can we suggest about medicine in the prehistoric period? You have 10 minutes

Archaeological Report by F. Reynoldson Prehistoric graves of men and women have been found all over the world. Sometimes there is evidence of trephining. This is when a whole has been cut into a person’s skull. Often the missing piece is buried with its owner. Update Most trephined skulls have rounded edges around the hole which shows that there has been bone regrowth (the bone grew afterwards).

Cave Paintings many have been found in France, Spain, and as far as Chile. This picture is a famous painting from a cave called, ‘The Three Brothers’ in France. It is a man wearing the antlers of a stag. He is dancing, What is the link between this painting and prehistoric medicine?

Trepanning

What was trepanning? (from Greek trupanon, borer) or trephining. This is maybe the most ancient form of brain surgery known to man:This is maybe the most ancient form of brain surgery known to man: Just imagine: a hole of 2.5 to 5 cm of diameter, drilled by hand into the skull of a living mana hole of 2.5 to 5 cm of diameter, drilled by hand into the skull of a living man without any anesthetics or antiseptics during 30 to 60 long minuteswithout any anesthetics or antiseptics during 30 to 60 long minutes

Theory 1: Dr. Prunieres 1865 Holes were made to become drinking cups Theory 4: E. Guiard 1930 Suggested trepanning was done to help illness e.g. broken skulls, headaches and epilepsy. In fact, for some of these conditions, trepanning shows a true therapeutic effect, and it is still used by neurosurgeons. Why was trepanning done? Theory 2: Professor Paul Broca 1876 Suggested operation was done on children. Those who lived on had magical powers Theory 3: Douglas Guthrie 1945 Suggested trepanning was done to let out evil spirits.

The Tomb of Isbister

How healthy were people? ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ What caused sickness? ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ What did they think caused illness? ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ Who treated the sick? ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ How did they treat illness and injury? ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

The evidence is limited – the Skeletons only help us to answer some not all questions. Bones may have been damaged in excavation. Is a hole in the skull a battle wound, the excavator axe when digging it up or a operation? Few sites contain human bones. It seems that prehistoric people left dead bodies in the open so that the flesh would rot or be eaten by birds. Then the bones were buried away from human sites The skeletons at Ibister may not be typical of other prehistoric groups or all the people at Ibister. They may be the skulls of enemies.

Are there any people groups which are still around in the last two centuries that show prehistoric type behaviour/culture?

Aboriginal/prehistoric person Suffering from illness Is the cause of the illness obvious? Common Sense Cause Spiritual Cause Problem 1 Broken Arm Problem 2 Cut Encase in clay and dry in the sun Cover with clay or animal fat and bind with bark Problem 1 Evil Spirit in the body Problem 2 Spirit has left the body Spirit must be driven out of the body using charms Spirit must be returned to the body. Spirit must be found on the end of a pointing stick. YesNo