The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-11-12
A TREASURE FROM EGYPT
Pspyrus Ebers--The Earliest Medical Work Ex-
tant-Translation Of the Hieroglyphics.

We conden6e from the N. I, tribune
of the 9th inst. an interesting account of
most valuable work received from the
University Library Of Leipzig, concern
ing medical practice in Egypt, more than
ta,QOO years ago;
The AstOr Library, New York, has
lquite recently come into possession of a
work Of extraordinary antiquity, which
will prove of immense value to the arch
@ologist, historian, and student Of sell
ence. This remarkable book is a fac
simile of an Egyptian medical treatise,
written in the 10th century b. c., and
consequently more than 3,400 years old.
Though strictly medical work, 1t re-
yeals much relating to ancient Egyptian
domestic life. and is without doubt one
of the most important contributions to
the history of medical science ever dis
covered. The readingpuDlic is indebted
to the liberaHty of Mr. VIM. u. Astor for
this rare and costly work.
The title translated is as follows:
Papyrus Ebers, the Hermetic Book of
Medicines of the Ancient Egyptians, in
Hieratlc Writing.
The papyrus OF which. this work is a
fac-simile reproduction, was discovered
by the archaologist Ebers, during bis
visit to Egypt IN the winter OF 1923.
Ebers and his friend Stern were residing
at Thebes collecting archaeological data,
and there became acquainted with a
well-to-do Arab from Luxor, who
brought to them for sale a wooden
Image of Osiris and a papyrus
of no especial value. Suspecting
that the Arab was holding in
Preserve objects OF greater interest," Ebers
offered him considerable sum for auy
superior specimens in his possession.
lTnis induced the Arab to return on the
following day, bringing with him a
metallic case containing papyrus roll
Ienyeloped in mummy clothes. Ebefs
Immediately perceived he had prize,
but was unable to command the large
sum of money demanded torit until pro-
lvided with means through the liberality
of German gentleman, Max Gnnther,
travelling in tnat vicinity. According
to the Arabs account, the papyrus had
been discovered fourteen years pre-
viously, by a man since dead, between
the bones of a mummy in tomb OF the
Theban Metropolis.
Ebers hastened back to Leipzig with
This precious roll, and deposited it for
safe keeping in the University Library OF
that city. And now, with the co-opera-
ton OF an enterprising publisher and the
abSlbbduCo VI loy al pdoiOudSS, uO pidoco
it at the disposal of the civilized world,
by reproducing it in these handsome vol
umeS.
The papyrus as received by Ebers con-
slsts OF single solidly-rolled sheet of
yellow brown papyrus oil finest quality,
lhree-tenths of meter wide, and a little
more than twenty meters long. 1t
formed one enormous book, but was di-
vided into ITO pages, which were care
fully numbered. For purposes of pres
ervation and exhibition in convenient
form it has since been cut into several
lengths. The writing, which is exceed
ingly clear and regular, is partly
lin black and partly in red ink,
the latter occurring al the heads OF
sections and in the expression of
weights and measures. The characters
Iare known as Hieratic, being cursive
lform Of the hieroglyphic method of writ
ling, and bearing the same relation to the
Halter that our ordinary written hand
ldoes to printed characters. Hieratic
script resulted from attempts to simplify
the forms and outlines OF the Geographic
characters employed in hleroglyphic
writing, which is essentially cOmbina-
ton of picture-writing with a phonetic
system. Hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt
were the written language of the people,
l
to the sacerdotal caste.
Il The Papyrus Ebers is SO marvelously
we'll preserved that not a single letter is
lacking in the entire roll. Tne material
of the papyrus itself, the inner bark ol
cuperuS pdpyruS, was examined by Prof
Schenck. Professor of Botany in the Uni.
yersity OF Leipzig, who established its
, identity with that of similar rolls, anC
pronounced it OF remarkably good manu-
iacture.
The age of the manuscript was deter
) mined by a consideration Of three points
II. photographic studies of the form o
the written characters; 2. Occurrences
: of names OF Kings; 3. Examination Of ,
, calendar which occurs on The back of thl
, first page. These data enable Ebers tt
assign the writing to the middle of th,
10th century, or more precisely. 155
b, c., Accepting this date-and it ha
, been established beyond reasonable
ldoubt-the writing was prior to th,
exodus of the Israelites; in fact, accord
ing to the commonly received chronol
r logy, Moses, in 1862 b. O., was just
| yeaSs OF age.
II AUTHORSHIP. 49,.
. The authorship of this ancient treats,
lis not revealed, but it bears internal eyi
l ldence OF being one of the six Hermeti
: Books on Medicine named by Clemen
, OF Alexandra Goo A. d. The Egyptian
. priests, who were also the physicians
| Lin order to give greater authority t.
i their writings, were wont to ascrib
! them to their gods, and their coditie
4 medical knowledge was general,
ascribed to the god Thui Cor Thoth,
In proof OF this, Ebers quotes the follow
ling passage from page 1, lines and 0, 0
/. the papyrus In questions;
r IRA pities the sick; his Teacher
Thuti who gives him speech, who make
this book and gives the instruction t.
Q scholars and to physicians in their sue
l cession."
. This god Thuti, ALSO written Thoth an,
l Taant, is the famous Hermes Trismegis
{ tus of the Greeks, the same who was re
garded by the alchemists Of the Middl
! Ages with superstitious reverence as tn
4 Father of Alchemy. However this ma
Q lbe, historians accord in Representing
{ Hermes as the inventor Of arts an,
! sciences, and that he first taught th
: Egyptians writing, invented arithmetic
8 geometry, astronomy, and music; CAV
!, laws to the people andregulated thei
d religious ceremonies. At the time 9
n Jambichus, A. ID. 1853, the priests Q
Y Egypt showed AZ books which they at
tributed to Hermes (Thuti). or these
Il .A-G.