In the article “The Great Doctors”, Robert Silverberg explained the history of medicine. First, Silverberg mentioned the first healer. The name of this mysterious being is unknown to all, yet he sparked a career of healing, leaving behind a great legacy. This article suggests the first doctor’s first patient was himself. When he was able to cure his own ailment, the news circulated and thus created healers. The article continues on to mention surgery, describing it as man’s first successful branch of medicine. Unlike other practices of ancient medicine, surgery was not based on magic and superstitions. In fact surgery during this period often went well - especially brain surgery. Skulls from thousands of years ago displayed signs of …show more content…
As the skulls had begun healing, scientists were able to conclude many patients survived ancient brain surgery performed throughout the world. Not unlike today, patients would first be given an anesthetic to ease the pain. Then, a surgeon would cut away the skin, hair, and skull without damaging the brain. It is believed surgeons from this time believed they had given a demon inside the patient’s head an escape route. Apart from being used to treat medical issues amongst people, trepanning may also have been used for a magical reason as a great extent of skulls in a particular burial ground had displayed indications of trepanning - too many to have been simply brain injuries. Next, Silverberg discussed the Cave of the Three Brothers. This cave contains the first known image of a healer. More evidence of medicine developed in about 4000 B.C., when China, Mesopotamia, and Egypt began to develop