The Edwin Smith Papyrus: Case Twenty-two

TITLE: Instructions concerning a smash in his temple.

EXAMINATION: If thou examinest a man having a smash in his temple, thou shouldst place thy thumb upon his chin (and) thy finger upon the end of his ramus, so that the blood will flow his two nostrils (and) from the interior of his ear having that smash. Cleanse (it) for him with a swab of linen until thou sees its fragments (of bone) in the interior of his ear. If thou callest to him (and) he is speechless (and) cannot speak.

DIAGNOSIS: Thou shouldst say concerning him: "One having a smash in his temple, he discharges blood from his two nostrils and from his ear; he is speechless; (and) he suffers with stiffness in his neck. An ailment not to be treated."

NOTE A: As for: "The end of his ramus." it means the end of his mandible. The ramus ----------the end of it is in his temple just as the claw of an ------------- grasps an object.

NOTE B: As for: "Thou seest its fragments in the interior of his ear," it means that some of the fragments of the bone come away to adhere to the swab which was introduced to cleanse the inferior of his ear.

NOTE C: As for: "He is speechless." it means that he is silent in sadness, without speaking, like one suffering with feebleness (dgy) because of something that has entered from outside.

case twenty-one
index of The Edwin Smith Papyrus
case twenty-three