History of Science 2220 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Machu Picchu, Andes, Traditional Medicine
5 Sep 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
History of medicine lecture 5 oct. 7. Meso-american: olmecs (1500bce), maya (250-650ce), aztecs (1400) (mexico and. Andean: chima (1400), inca (12th c-1533) (peru) Diverse groups within central and south america. Monumental empire, large cities and large population. Peruvians are the last to be conquered by the spanish. Like ancient civilizations but they are more recent. Most of them, as people, there are still remains of the people but the civilization itself is no longer in existence. No more practice of the inca culture. Less adaptable in the way indigenous culture is. Machu picchu, the incan palace complex in the andes, built in the 15/16th century. Peruvian surgery was very advanced, including trepanation, amputations, removal of tumours, prostheses, ant head suture clamps (focusing on closing wounds to keep the body - knew that puss was not linked to healing) Drugs included coco leaves (cocaine), used as an anaesthetic. Attributed the power of the drug to their trial and error approach.
