The oldest Babylonian texts on medicine date back to the Old
Babylonian period in the first half of the 2nd
millennium BC. The most extensive Babylonian medical text, however,
is the Diagnostic Handbook written by the ummânū, or chief
scholar, Esagil-kin-apli of Borsippa, during
the reign of the Babylonian king Adad-apla-iddina (1069-1046 BC).
Along with contemporary Egyptian treatments, the Babylonians introduced the
concepts of diagnosis, prognosis, physical examination, and prescriptions. In addition, the Diagnostic
Handbook introduced the methods of therapy and aetiology and the use of empiricism, logic, and rationality in diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. The
text contains a list of medical symptoms and often detailed empirical observations along with logical rules used in
combining observed symptoms on the body of a patient with its diagnosis and prognosis.
The symptoms and diseases of a patient were treated through therapeutic means
such as bandages, creams and pills. If a patient could not be cured physically,
the Babylonian physicians often relied on exorcism to cleanse the patient from any curses. Esagil-kin-apli's Diagnostic Handbook
was based on a logical set of axioms and assumptions, including the modern view
that through the examination and inspection of the symptoms of a patient, it is
possible to determine the patient's disease, its aetiology, its future development, and
the chances of the patient's recovery.
Esagil-kin-apli discovered a variety of illnesses and diseases and described their symptoms
in his Diagnostic Handbook. These include the symptoms for many varieties
of epilepsy
and related ailments along with their diagnosis and
prognosis.
Babylonian period in the first half of the 2nd
millennium BC. The most extensive Babylonian medical text, however,
is the Diagnostic Handbook written by the ummânū, or chief
scholar, Esagil-kin-apli of Borsippa, during
the reign of the Babylonian king Adad-apla-iddina (1069-1046 BC).
Along with contemporary Egyptian treatments, the Babylonians introduced the
concepts of diagnosis, prognosis, physical examination, and prescriptions. In addition, the Diagnostic
Handbook introduced the methods of therapy and aetiology and the use of empiricism, logic, and rationality in diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. The
text contains a list of medical symptoms and often detailed empirical observations along with logical rules used in
combining observed symptoms on the body of a patient with its diagnosis and prognosis.
The symptoms and diseases of a patient were treated through therapeutic means
such as bandages, creams and pills. If a patient could not be cured physically,
the Babylonian physicians often relied on exorcism to cleanse the patient from any curses. Esagil-kin-apli's Diagnostic Handbook
was based on a logical set of axioms and assumptions, including the modern view
that through the examination and inspection of the symptoms of a patient, it is
possible to determine the patient's disease, its aetiology, its future development, and
the chances of the patient's recovery.
Esagil-kin-apli discovered a variety of illnesses and diseases and described their symptoms
in his Diagnostic Handbook. These include the symptoms for many varieties
of epilepsy
and related ailments along with their diagnosis and
prognosis.
Mesopotamian Technology☻
Mesopotamian people invented many technologies including metal and
copper-working, glass and lamp making, textile weaving, flood control, water
storage, and irrigation. They were also one of the first Bronze
age people in the world. They developed from copper, bronze, and gold on to iron. Palaces were decorated with hundreds of kilograms of these very
expensive metals. Also, copper, bronze, and iron were used for armor as well as
for different weapons such as swords, daggers, spears, and maces.
According to a recent hypothesis, the Archimedes screw may have been used by Sennacherib, King of Assyria, for the water systems at the Hanging
Gardens of Babylon and Nineveh in the 7th century BC, although mainstream
scholarship holds it to be a Greek invention of later times. Later
during the Parthian or Sassanid periods, the Baghdad Battery, which may have been the world's
first battery, was created in Mesopotamia
copper-working, glass and lamp making, textile weaving, flood control, water
storage, and irrigation. They were also one of the first Bronze
age people in the world. They developed from copper, bronze, and gold on to iron. Palaces were decorated with hundreds of kilograms of these very
expensive metals. Also, copper, bronze, and iron were used for armor as well as
for different weapons such as swords, daggers, spears, and maces.
According to a recent hypothesis, the Archimedes screw may have been used by Sennacherib, King of Assyria, for the water systems at the Hanging
Gardens of Babylon and Nineveh in the 7th century BC, although mainstream
scholarship holds it to be a Greek invention of later times. Later
during the Parthian or Sassanid periods, the Baghdad Battery, which may have been the world's
first battery, was created in Mesopotamia
Archimedes Screw
A Modern day Archimedes Screw.Used for bringing low water from resevoirs,it is also used to bring land under sea level back to the ground.
