Trepanning Trepanning

Lesson Objectives To identify Prehistoric attitudes to what caused disease To give examples of different treatments used by prehistoric people To explain why the prehistoric people used different treatments for different illnesses

it is called trepanning (from Greek trupanon, borer) or trephining. Just imagine: a hole of 2.5 to 5 cm of diameter, drilled by hand into the skull of a living man, without any anesthetics or antiseptics, during 30 to 60 long minutes. This is maybe the most ancient form of brain surgery known to man: it is called trepanning (from Greek trupanon, borer) or trephining.

Magical and religious rituals, to bring luck and to offer sacrifice, etc. In many cultures (mainly those which were known as head-worshippers) trepanning was very common Shamanistic therapies, mainly due to the belief that opening the skull would free "bad spirits" or demons in the patient's body causing mental diseases, epilepsy, blindness, etc. To relieve pressure for the treatment of legitimate medical conditions, such as strong headaches, skull fractures and wounds, brain tumors, etc. In fact, for some of these conditions, trepanning shows a true therapeutic effect, and it is still used by neurosurgeons.

What was trepanning? (4 marks) You have 8 minutes to write your own description explaining what trepanning was You should include: When it happened Why it happened What they did

What was the dual approach to medicine?

Which was approach to disease and infection was more dominant in prehistoric times?