Ancient Healers
by R. Cornelius
While ancient surgical procedures would horrify most modern people, it is amazing to consider the level of sophistication early healers possessed. Though rudimentary and simple in most respects, these procedures often worked to some extent. Scholars study old skeletal remains to detect the results and find that in a majority of cases the remains show signs of healing after a procedure. This means that the patient did not die under the knife. If the procedures did not cause the patient to expire, then it might be worth something for medical scholars to analyze them.
Medical historians explain that the basis for most modern medical procedures come from the works of a Greek physician by the name of Galen. Galen was a Roman citizen, and he lived in an area of the Mediterranean that is today part of Turkey. Much of Galen’s knowledge helped to create hospitals in ancient Rome. The Roman military treated battle wounds according to his teachings. In fact, the medical tools Galen invented are very similar to tools modern doctors use on a daily basis. Galen even noticed that cleaning a patient’s wounds before and after surgery increased the patient’s chance of survival.
Much of what Galen learned, he gathered from his time spent as a student in Egypt. He read ancient works from the Egyptian doctor Imhotep who lived in the second millennia B.C. Galen wrote on several procedures Imhotep used to treat the broken arms of laborers working on the Great Pyramids of Giza. Many businesses in ancient Egypt also provided medical insurance and sick leave for workers. Galen also learned about drugs and chemicals to heal and reduce pain from his study of Imhotep. Scholars believe that Galen studied Imhotep in particular because the ancient Egyptian was the first doctor not to rely on prayer to cure illness. In fact, mention of mysticism or magic is absent from Imhotep’s works. As a result, the old Egyptian's scrolls read much like a textbook.
Though these are only two examples of ancient healers, scholars assume there are many doctors from ancient times who were lost to history. Scholars make these assumptions because both Galen and Imhotep did not live in a vacuum. They were real people who worked with others, and taught others, to heal the sick. From this, it is completely reasonable to conclude that they passed on their knowledge to other ancient physicians. After all, medical students still study their basic procedures in class today.
Which sentence from the above passage offers support for the following thesis?
"While ancient surgical procedures would horrify most modern people, it is amazing to consider the level of sophistication early healers possessed."
A.
"He read ancient works from the Egyptian doctor Imhotep who lived in the second millennia B.C."
B.
"Many businesses in ancient Egypt also provided medical insurance and sick leave for workers."
C.
"In fact, the medical tools Galen invented are very similar to tools modern doctors use on a daily basis."
D.
"Galen was a Roman citizen, and he lived in an area of the Mediterranean that is today part of Turkey."