The First Medical Work on Phlegm: Towards Its Textual Criticism and Medical History
The First Medical Work on Phlegm: Towards Its Textual Criticism and Medical History
Author(s): Strahil V. PanayotovSubject(s): History, Ancient World
Published by: Centre for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS)
Keywords: Ancient Medical Traditions; Cuneiform Medical Texts; Serialization; Textual Criticism; Hippocratic Corpus; Humoral Theories; Near Eastern Contributions
Summary/Abstract: This paper delves into the fascinating world of ancient medical knowledge by examining a cuneiform tablet, IM.202652. Inscribed sometime between 1500 and 1200 BCE, it stands as the earliest known serialized medical collection focusing on phlegm, sputum, and related bronchial ailments. This manuscript serves as a precursor to the fifth tablet of the Bronchia treatise found in the Nineveh Medical Encyclopaedia from the renowned Library of Ashurbanipal, dating back to the 7th century BCE. Furthermore, IM.202652 documents medical practices that align with prescriptions in the Hippocratic Corpus, shedding light on the Ancient Near Eastern practices which were adapted into Greek medical traditions.
Journal: CAS Sofia Working Paper Series
- Issue Year: 2025
- Issue No: 16
- Page Range: 1-54
- Page Count: 54
- Language: English
