PRE-HISTORIC ERA OF MEDICINE

Illness and injury are as old as humankind. Anthropologists can only make calculated guesses at what
prehistoric medicine was like by collecting and studying human remains and artifacts. They have
sometimes extrapolated from observations of certain indigenous populations today and over the last
hundred years whose lives have been isolated from other cultures. During the pre-historic era, people
would have believed that diseases were due to supernatural power and that diseases were due to fright,
fear, and unknown terror. Given that human beings do not like pain, death and suffering, there was a clear
need to try and find a cure for diseases and injuries.

Prehistoric Illnesses and Health Issues

During the Neolithic era, people were afflicted with ailments and diseases, just like we are today.
However, because of very different lifestyles and lifespans, they did not suffer from the same diseases so
commonly.

Some diseases and conditions which were probably very common in prehistoric times:

Osteoarthritis - many people had to lift and carry large and heavy object frequently. According to
archeological remains, osteoarthritis was common.
Micro-fractures of the spine and spondylolysis - large rocks were commonly dragged over long
distances.
Hyper-extension and torque of the lower back - caused by the transport and raising of massive
rocks and stones, such as Latte Stones.
Infections and complications - people were hunter gatherers and were much more likely to suffer
cuts, bruises and bone fractures. There were no modern antibiotics, vaccines, antiseptics, and
most likely no knowledge of bacteria, viruses, funguses and other harmful pathogens and the
impact of good hygiene practices in preventing infection complications. Infections were much
more likely to become serious and life-threatening, while contagious diseases used to spread
rapidly and turn into epidemics easily.
Rickets - anthropologists have evidence that rickets was widespread throughout most prehistoric
communities, probably due to low vitamin D levels.
Life expectancy - this ranged from about 25 to 40 years, depending on regions and pre-historic
periods. People would have been much more susceptible to the ravages of nature, such as a
decade-long cold period (or longer), droughts, floods, and diseases which killed off large numbers
of their food sources. Men lived longer than women, probably because males were the hunters;
they would have had access to their kills before the women, and possibly suffered less from
malnutrition.

Prehistoric Methods of Diagnosis and Treatment

Shamans, Witch Doctors and Priests

A cave painting from around 15,000 BCE is on the cave walls of the Les Trois Frerescave in the
Pyrenees is considered to be depicting a Stone Age medicine man.
In the absence of knowledge of germs, bacteria and viruses and of human anatomy and physiology
stone age humans ascribed disease, injuries and death to supernatural forces. This lead to the
need for a method of influencing the supernatural forces which required a person with
 knowledge of the supernatural world who could communicate with and placate the gods
or spirits that caused the disease and injury. Priests, shamans, witch doctors and medicine men
were often responsible for protecting the health of Stone Age humans by means of appropriate
rituals and spells. They were believed to have worn monstrous animal masks to frighten the evil
spirits causing the illness.
Prehistoric Surgery
Archeologists have found examples of trephined (or trepanned) skulls in excavations of prehistoric
sites. Trepanning involves boring a hole into the skull. This operation was first carried out in
Neolithic times using sharpened edges of stones and flints. Some of the patients survived as
shown by healing around the holes and some skulls even had several holes bored in them,
indicating repeated operations. It is not clear why such a painful operation was carried out,
but it may have been to allow evil spirits that were causing migraines, epilepsy or madness
to escape from the patients skull.
It is also likely other surgical operations, such as the lancing of abscesses and the sewing up of
wounds with bone or flint needles, were performed, but there is no clear evidence of this.

Healing art in the Prehistoric era

Despite their lack of knowledge, Stone Age medicine men would most likely have supplemented
their spells and rituals with the use of various herbs, roots, leaves and animal parts and
other medicines. For example, for the treatment of fracture, they would set the clay on the
affected area and allow it to harden.
Anthropologists have had to go with what little evidence they may have gathered from the
past, plus observing indigenous peoples today and over the last couple of centuries. We can
be sure that any medicinal herb or plant would have been a local one - there was hardly any
trade going on, and definitely no long-distant commerce. Nomadic tribes may have had
access to a wider range of materials.
There is some evidence from present-day archeological sites in Iraq that mallow and yarrow
were used about 60,000 years ago:
o Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is said to be an astringent (causes contraction of
tissues, helps reduce bleeding), stimulant, diaphoretic (promotes sweating), and a
mild aromatic. It was probably used for wounds, cuts and abrasions.
o Mallow - may have been prepared as a herbal infusion for its colon cleansing
properties.
o Rosemary - there is evidence in several parts of the world that it was used as a
medicinal herb. It is claimed to have so many different medicinal qualities, depending
on which part of the world one is in, that it is difficult to be sure what it was used for.
o Birch Polypore (Piptoporus betulinus), a plant common in the European Alps, may
have been used as a laxative. Archeologists found traces of this plant in a mummified
man. Botanists say the plant can induce diarrhea when ingested.
Women would have gathered and administered herbal remedies, and were in charge of
treating sickness and keeping their families healthy. As people did not read or write in
those days, knowledge of the benefits and harms of various medications would have been
passed down by word of mouth.
 Sources:

Christian Nordqvist, History of Medicine, Medical News Today, last revised 9 August 2012,
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/medicine/prehistoric-medicine.php
Rochelle Forester, The History of Medicine, last revised 9 November 2016
https://figshare.com/articles/The_History_of_Medicine_pdf/4219722
Albert S. Lyons, Prehistoric Medicine, Health Guidance, accessed 12 August 2017
http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/6303/1/Prehistoric-Medicine.html

Group 1:

1. Alfeche, Nhyia P.
2. Aves, Jude Oliver S.
3. Buniel, Chris Lyle A.
4. Chacko, Jibin
5. Cubid, Caroline Anne Y.
6. Estor, Maria Aubrey Psyche A.
7. Jose, Joyce Dianne T.
8. Pepito, Mae Zabelle Janica G.
9. Sukontasawat, Thitta
10. Seervi, Maheender