Treść książki
Przejdź do opcji czytnikaPrzejdź do nawigacjiPrzejdź do informacjiPrzejdź do stopki
CHAPTERI
HistoricalContexts
Antiquity
Eversinceprehistorictimes,acrossallcultures,theemphasishasbeen
placedonaproperfunctioningofthehumanphysicalsphere,treatmentof
diseases,aswellasalleviatingpainandsuffering.Peoplereliedoninstincts
andmadeuseofempiricalknowledge,imperfectandfallible.Transitionto
asedentarylifestyleintheNeolithicundoubtedlycontributedtoanincreased
morbidityaswellastheemergenceofinfectiousandzoonoticdiseases.
Primitiveculturesrelatedallaspectsofexistencetotheideasofaunique
impactofmagicalpowersonlifeandhealth.Diseaseswereattributedto
thewrathofdeitiesandhealingwasachievedbyappeasingthem.Gula,
aBabyloniangoddessofhealth,IsisandSerapisinancientEgypt,theGreek
godAsclepiusandtheRomanAesculapius,werethebringersofmiraculous
resurrectionsandrecoveries,oftenintemplesservingahealingpurpose.
Magicalpracticesandritualscontributedtoasurvival,restorationofhealth
andmaintenanceoforder.Thosewhopossessedsecretknowledgebecame
spiritualleaders,prieststowhomoneturnedintimesofthreattolife
andprosperity.Inscriptionsdatingbacktotheoldestcivilisationscontain
notonlydivination,incantations,descriptionsofamuletsandconjuring
procedures,butalsostructuredaccountsoftheknowledgeandpractice
ofmedicineatthetime.TheancientSumerians,Babylonians,Egyptians,
peopleofIndusValleyandtheChineseusedtreatisesofpathology,diagnosis
aswellastherapyinmedicaltreatment.Theystressedthatfoodandhygiene
areimportantelementsinmaintaininghealth.AncientChinesealsopractised
