Ibn Sina publishes The Canon of Medicine
The Canon of Medicine is an encyclopedia of medicine compiled by Persian physician-philosopher Ibn Sina. It presents an overview of the contemporary medical knowledge of the medieval Islamic world.
Medicine
Suśruta of ancient India authors Sushruta Samhita, an ancient Sanskrit text on medicine
The Sushruta Samhita is one of the most important treatises on medicine and herbalism to survive from the ancient world.
Egyptian physician Imhotep diagnoses cancer, perhaps for the first time in history
Imhotep was an Egyptian chancellor to the Pharaoh Djoser, possible architect of Djoser’s step pyramid, and high priest of the sun god Ra at Heliopolis. Very little is known of Imhotep as a historical figure, but in the 3,000 years following his death, he was gradually glorified and deified. In his Pulitzer-prize winning “biography” of cancer – The Emperor of All Maladies – Siddhartha Mukherjee cites the oldest identified written diagnosis of cancer to Imhotep.
Ancient Sumerians create clay tablets listing hundreds of medicinal plants
In Mesopotamia, the written study of herbs dates back over 5,000 years to the Sumerians, who created clay tablets with lists of hundreds of medicinal plants (such as myrrh and opium).
Humans begin practicing herbalism
The use of plants as medicines predates written human history. Archaeological evidence indicates that humans were using medicinal plants during the Paleolithic, approximately 60,000 years ago.