Exploring Ancient Remedies: Investigating Treatments, Disease Avoidance, and Drugs in Prehistoric Times
In the days before humans were able to read and write, medicine was a mystery that has intrigued historians and anthropologists for centuries. Known as prehistoric medicine, this era was marked by practices such as geophagy, trepanning, and shamanism, which are no longer common in modern medicine.
However, there is evidence suggesting that prehistoric people may have had a rudimentary understanding of medicinal herbs and substances from natural sources. For instance, yarrow (Achillea millefolium) was widely used around the world to treat wounds, respiratory infections, digestive problems, skin conditions, and liver disease. Yarrow, said to be an astringent, diaphoretic, aromatic, and stimulant, boasts anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, and antipathogenic properties.
Another herb, Birch Polypore (Piptoporus betulinus), was used as a laxative, while Mallow (Malva neglecta) was employed for its colon-cleansing properties, as an herbal infusion. Women were often in charge of gathering and administering these herbal remedies.
Life expectancy in prehistoric times was generally lower, with most people not living to be over 40 years old. This was due in part to the lack of knowledge about bacteria, viruses, fungi, or other potential pathogens, leading to infections and complications becoming more serious and life-threatening.
The practice of medicine varied according to regions of the world and cultures. Prehistoric burial practices suggest that people had some understanding of bone structure, but the specifics of their medical practices remain elusive. Anthropologists study the history of humanity, but have yet to discover exactly how people practiced medicine in prehistoric times.
One area where prehistoric medicine can be more clearly seen is in the diseases that afflicted early humans. As prehistoric humans, particularly with the rise of herding cultures, lived in close proximity to livestock, they were exposed to many zoonotic diseases such as leptospirosis, bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis, and listeriosis.
Evidence from skeletal remains also suggests that diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Still's disease existed since prehistoric times. Leprosy (Hansen's disease) and the bubonic plague have also been detected in archaeological findings, indicating a complex disease burden long before modern times.
In summary, prehistoric diseases were heavily influenced by the shift to agriculture and animal domestication, which increased exposure to zoonoses. The discovery of autoimmune diseases and chronic infectious diseases like leprosy and plague shows a complex disease burden that existed long before modern times.
Modern medicine has come a long way since prehistoric times, but the use of medicinal herbs like yarrow, birch polypore, and mallow continues to this day, offering a fascinating link to our ancestors and their attempts to heal and care for one another.
[1] Zoonotic diseases in prehistoric times: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6559695/ [2] Rheumatoid arthritis in ancient times: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4066444/ [3] Leprosy in prehistoric America: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1282540/ [4] Cancer and chronic diseases in prehistoric times: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1313486/ [5] Bubonic plague in prehistoric Eurasia: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2871866/
Science has uncovered evidence indicating that prehistoric people experienced various medical-conditions, including falls and accidents, due to their limited understanding of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. Despite this, they may have utilized natural resources, such as medicinal herbs like yarrow, birch polypore, and mallow, for health-and-wellness purposes, reflecting an early form of health-and-wellness practices.
