Abstract
The first text where the technique and indications of the cranial trepanation were documented is in the book titled ‘On Wounds of the Head’ belonging to the ‘Corpus Hippocraticum’, a collection of around 50 books attributed to Hippocrates of Kos (460–337 BC). In this chapter we track the trepanation in the Greco-Roman culture reviewing the points of view of Hippocrates, Celsus, Galen and Aegineta. We highlight the differences between magic-religious primitive trepanations and surgical trepanations started at that time. We review also the trepanations in the Ancient Egypt, very scarce but magnified and extended in the media thanks to the bestseller novel ‘Sinuhé egyptiläinen’, from the Finnish writer Mika Waltari (1908–1979).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Tullo E. Trepanation and Roman medicine: a comparison of osteoarchaeological remains, material culture and written texts. J R Coll Physicians Edinb. 2010;40:165–71.
Collado-Vázquez S, Carrillo JM. Cranial trepanation in The Egyptian. Neurologia. 2014;29:433–40.
Walkari M. Sinuhé, el Egipcio (translation by M Bosch Barret). Barcelona: Ediciones GP; 1959.
Lull J. Aventuras de un egipcio en el exilio: Sinuhé. Hist National Geographic. 2016;156:40–63.
Alby JC. La concepción antropológica de la medicina hipocrática. Enfoque. 2004;1:5–29.
García-Gual C. Tratados Hipocráticos. Madrid: Editorial Gredos; 1983.
Laín Entralgo P. La Medicina Hipocrática. Madrid: Ediciones de la Revista de Occidente; 1970.
Adams CD. The genuine works of Hippocrates. New York: Dover; 1868.
Montemayor J. Medicina y cirugía de Vulneribus Capitis. Zaragoza: Juan de Ibar; 1651.
Chang A, Lad EM, Lad SP. Hippocrates’ influence on the origins of neurosurgery. Neurosurg Focus. 2007;23:E9.
Missios S. Hippocrates, Galen, and the uses of trepanation in the ancient classical world. Neurosurg Focus. 2007;23:E11.
Mountrakis C, Georgaki S, Manolis SK. A trephined late bronze age skull from Peloponnesus, Greece. Med Arch Arch. 2011;11:1–8.
Papagrigorakis MJ, Toulas P, Tsilivakos MG, Kousoulis AA, Skorda D, Orfanidis G, et al. Neurosurgery during the Bronze Age: a skull trepanation in 1900 BC Greece. World Neurosurg. 2014;81:431–5.
Forniciari G. Discovery of the first Hippocratic cranial trepanation from the Greek colony of Himera, Sicily (6th=5th century B.C.); 2010. http://www.paleopatologia.it/articoli /stampa.php?recordID=147
Spencer WG (transl). De Medicina. Celsus. Cambridge: Harvard University Press; 1935.
Coxe JR. Writings of Hippocrates and Galen. Philadelphia: Lindsay and Blakiston; 1846.
Gleason MW. Galen’s anatomical performances. In: Gill C, Whitmarsh T, Wilkins J, editors. Galen and the world of knowledge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2010. p. 1–30.
Adams F. The seven books of Paulus of Aegineta, vol. 2. London: Sydenham Society; 1846.
Mariani-Constantini R, di Tota G, Catalano P, Ottini L, Angeletti LR. Cranial trepanation in Graeco-Roman medicine. J Paleopathol. 1999;11:5–11.
Brothwell DR. Osteological evidence of the use of a surgical modiolus in a Romano-British population: an aspect of primitive technology. J Archeol Sci. 1974;1:209–11.
Fabbri PF, Lonoce N, Masieri M, Caramella D, Valentino M, Vassallo S. Partial cranial trephination by means of Hippocrates’ trypanon from 5th century BC Himera (Sicily, Italy). Int J Osteoarchaeol. 2012;22:194–200.
Mariani-Constantini M, Catalano P, di Gennaro F, di Tota G, Angeletti LR. New light on cranial surgery in ancient Rome. Lancet. 2000;335:305–7.
Tsermoulas G, Aidonis A, Flint G. The skull of Chios: trepanation in Hippocratic medicine. J Neurosurg. 2014;121:328–32.
Novak M, Nad M, Plese T, Cavda M. Skeletal evidence of trepanning on a 5th century skull from Ludbreg, Croatia. Acta Med-Hist Adriat. 2013;11:197–212.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
González-Darder, J.M. (2019). The First Documented Reports of the Surgical Trepanations Appear in the Corpus Hippocraticum: Greco-Roman Trepanations. In: Trepanation, Trephining and Craniotomy . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22212-3_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22212-3_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-22211-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-22212-3
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)