there, caused dead bodies to be cut up, and anatomies to be made,
for to search out the maladies whereof men died."(13)
(13) Pliny, Holland's translation, Bk. XIX, Chap. V, Sect.
26.
The study of the anatomy of mummies has thrown a very interesting light
upon the diseases of the ancient Egyptians, one of the most prevalent
of which appears to have been osteo-arthritis. This has been studied by
Elliot Smith, Wood Jones, Ruffer and Rietti. The majority of the lesions
appear to have been the common osteo-arthritis, which involved not only
the men, but many of the pet animals kept in the temples. In a much
higher proportion apparently than in modern days, the spinal column was
involved. It is interesting to note that the "determinative" of old age
in hieroglyphic writing is the picture of a man afflicted with arthritis
deformans. Evidences of tuberculosis, rickets and syphilis, according to
these authors, have not been found.
A study of the internal organs has been made by Ruffer, who has shown
that arterio-sclerosis with calcification was a common disease 8500
years ago; and he holds that it could not have been associated with hard
work or alcohol, for the ancient Egyptians did not drink spirits, and
they had practically the same hours of work as modern Egyptians, with
every seventh day free.
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