The surgeon Thomas Pettigrew (1791 1865) was interested in all aspects of antiquity, and gained fame in London society through his mummy-unwrapping parties. (His History of Egyptian Mummies is also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection.) His interest in the early history of medicine is evidenced by this work, published in 1844, which describes the various forms of superstition which the science of medicine had always attracted since ancient times. Pettigrew considers alchemy and astrology, and the use of talismans, amulets and charms, as well as the history of Egyptian, Greek and Roman medicine, and some modern developments, including 'sympathetical cures' and the rejoining of severed fingers and ears. A chapter is devoted to the belief in the efficacy of the 'royal touch' against the King's Evil (scrofula), and another to the seventeenth-century faith healer Valentine Greatrakes, of whose alleged cures Pettigrew takes a robustly sceptical view."

First published in 1834, this work was an important early contribution to the emerging field of Egyptology in Britain. It united the twin passions of its author, the noted surgeon and antiquarian Thomas Joseph Pettigrew (1791-1865), who made a name for himself by unrolling and autopsying mummies: his London home was the scene of well-attended parties during which he would impress his guests with such displays. In the present work, Pettigrew delves into the history, technique and ritual of mummification in a depth that had never been attempted before, notably extending the coverage beyond ancient Egypt to other societies and eras. Describing the beliefs that informed these practices, the work also addresses the Egyptians' worship and embalming of animals such as bulls, dogs and hawks. Based on numerous examinations and years of study, this work stood as a landmark in the scientific and historical understanding of these funerary rites.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1844 Edition.