The Broad Bean's Syndrome in Ancient Egypt

Authors

  • Donatella Lippi Chair of the History of Medicine, University of Bologna

Keywords:

Egyptian medicine, Lathyrism , Broad Beans

Abstract

The problem of broad bean's syndrome an lathyrism in ancient Greece has been deeply studied, with particular referrement to the hypothetic medica and mystical reasons of the pythagoric order not to eat broad beans. It is impossible to proove egyptian influence of Phythagora's precept, but we can however, consider the hypothesis that they had noticed the potential deadly effect of broad beans' use, too, and wonder if their interduction had the same motivations.     

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Published

1989-12-01

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Section

Articles