Ancient Egyptian medical facts

In advance of a March 7 campus presentation about the Joslyn Museum’s current exhibit on ancient Egypt, below is a fact about medicine in the “birthplace of civilization.”


Egyptian doctors were known to have identified and documented hundreds of different illnesses. These covered every part of the body and included illnesses such as:

  • Ulcers;
  • Migraines;
  • Dermatological problems;
  • Dental conditions;
  • Diseases of the ear, nose, throat and digestive system; and
  • Gynaecological conditions.


UNMC employees are invited to join Brooke Masek, assistant to Joslyn’s executive director and CEO, at noon on March 7 in the Sorrell Center, Room 2014, for an illustrated talk on the “To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum.”

The exhibition, which is on display now through June 3, explores:

  • Egyptian beliefs about life, death, and the afterlife;
  • The process of mummification;
  • The conduct of a funeral; and
  • The different types of tombs — answering questions at the core of our fascination with ancient Egypt.

RSVP to Kacie Gerard at kgerard@unmc.edu by Thursday if you would like to attend.