- 2 - 
Évidence from 
historical 
works. 
Evidence from 
skeletons. 
Evidence from 
macroscopical 
examination. 
Evidence from 
microscoiilcal 
examination. 
The evidence from historical works of comparatively modem times is of little 
service because, as a rule, the symptoms noted are indicative not of one disease, but of 
several. To take an example of comparatively recent times, the epidemic w^hich devastated 
Athens and was graphically described by Thucydides, has been identified according to 
the diverse tastes of medical and other commentators as black typhus, smallpox, yellow 
fever, cerebro-spinal meningitis, scarlet fever, influenza and ergotism complicated with 
typhus. 
Very precious information has been obtained by the examination of skeletons. 
Lately, a new stimulus has been given to this hitherto neglected branch of Egyptology, 
by the description by Prof. Elliot Smith, Dr. Wood Jones and Dr. Derry of bones 
found in the Nile Valley above Assouan. Unfortunately, the inspection of skeletons 
reveals only the few maladies which cause osseous lesions, whereas many diseases leave 
no traces on the bones. 
The result of the macroscopical examination of mummified organs is unsatis- 
factory also, as, in the process of drying, the soft parts shrank and are therefore so 
changed as to render pathological lesions unrecognisable, (see Plates I. II. III.). Still, 
this method may give noteworthy results, and Prof. Elliot Smith, for instance, showed 
me a gall bladder which undoubtedly contained biliary calculi. 
One other available method consists in the microscopical examination of mummies, 
which, as far as I know, has never been applied systematically. Histologists were prob- 
ably repelled by the very unpromising appearance of the material. It is not easy to say 
for instance to what organ some of tlie brownish, dry, hard fragments found in the body 
cavity belong. A provisional diagnosis, as I have found to my cost, not untrequently 
proves incorrect. I am informed, however, that Prof. Looss demonstrated the striation 
of mummified muscles to his colleagues, but I am not aware of any systematic work on 
the histological examination of mummies. 
It appeared to me that if, by any process, the flexibility and original shape of 
the mummified tissues were restored, their microscopical structure would be recovered 
also, partially at least, and that pathological alterations might then possibly be demon- 
strated. 
This paper, however, is concerned with the first two questions only, viz. the 
restoration of mummified tissues to their original size and the recovery of their micro- 
scopical appearance. 
For the material necessary for this work I am indebted in the first instance to 
Prof. Elliot Smith. I obtained also very valuable specimens from Prof. Flinders Pétrie, 
Sir Gaston Maspero and from Dr. Keatinge. I take this opportunity of thanking all these 
gentlemen for their help, as also Mr. A. Cooper for many of the illustrations and 
Mrs. Alice Mary Ruffer for most of the paintings of microscopical specimens accompany- 
ing this paper. 
