Before science, medicine was a battle against the supernatural
In short: This video explores how humanity first conceptualized sickness. It moves beyond the idea that medicine was simply 'bad' in the past, examining how early humans navigated the line between herbal trial-and-error and spiritual warfare.
Early medicine was divided by the severity of the ailment. While common issues like colds were managed with domestic herbal remedies, serious diseases were viewed as supernatural attacks. These were believed to be caused by malevolent demons, spells, or offended gods who might project objects into the body or steal a patient's soul.
To combat these threats, 'medicine men' acted as sorcerers, using incantations and potions to lure souls back or expel intruders. One extreme physical intervention was trepanning—drilling a small opening into the skull to provide a path for disease to escape. Archaeological evidence from Europe and Peru shows that many patients survived these prehistoric procedures.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Ancient & Medieval Medicine: Crash Course History of Science #9
- Also: History of medicine | Ancient Medicine, Traditional Medicine, Surgery, Western Medicine, Diagnosis, & Treatment | Britannica
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