What Medical Tools Were Used in Ancient Greece?

Medical science has come a long way since ancient times. In Ancient Greece, medicine was viewed as a combination of science and philosophy.

The ancient Greeks believed that illness was caused due to an imbalance between the four humors- blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. The ancient Greek physicians used various medical tools to diagnose and treat illnesses. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Scalpels

One of the most common medical tools in Ancient Greece was the scalpel. A scalpel is a small and sharp knife used for making incisions or cuts in the body.

In Ancient Greece, scalpels were made of bronze or iron. They were used for surgeries such as amputations and hernia repairs.

Forceps

Forceps are surgical instruments that resemble tongs or pliers. They are used for grasping and holding tissues during surgeries. In Ancient Greece, forceps were made of bronze or silver.

Cupping Glass

Cupping glass is a medical tool that is still used today in some alternative therapies. It involves creating suction on the skin to increase blood flow to an area. In Ancient Greece, cupping glasses were made of glass or bronze.

Surgical Hooks

Surgical hooks are long and thin tools with curved ends. They are used for pulling tissues during surgeries such as wound closures or bone fractures reduction. In Ancient Greece, surgical hooks were made of bronze.

Bone saws

Bone saws are medical tools used for cutting bones during surgeries such as amputations or fracture repairs. In Ancient Greece, bone saws were made of bronze or iron.

Probes

A probe is a long instrument with a pointed end that is used to explore wounds or body cavities during surgeries. In Ancient Greece, probes were made of bronze.

Speculum

A speculum is a medical tool used for examining body cavities such as the vagina or the anus. In Ancient Greece, speculums were made of bronze.

Leeches

Leeches are blood-sucking worms used to draw blood from the body. In Ancient Greece, leeches were used for bloodletting, which was believed to balance the four humors.

Conclusion

Medicine in Ancient Greece was a combination of science and philosophy. The ancient Greek physicians believed in balancing the four humors to treat illnesses.

They used various medical tools such as scalpels, forceps, cupping glasses, surgical hooks, bone saws, probes, speculums, and leeches to diagnose and treat illnesses. Although these tools may seem primitive compared to modern-day medical tools, they were an important part of medical science in Ancient Greece.