Magyar László szerk.: Orvostörténeti Közlemények 170-173. (Budapest, 2000)

KÖZLEMÉNYEK — COMMUNICATIONS - Győry, Hedvig: "Providing protection to a new-born on the day of his birth ". Extra-and intrauterine complications and abnormalities in ancient Egypt. — „Az újszülött védelméről gondoskodni születése napján ". Méhen kívüli és belüli komplikációk és rendellenességek az ősi Egyiptomban

which was after all disturbing. The above quoted oracular amuletic decree lists another expression concerning the negative possibilities of birth as well, namely the ms d3y.t. As Edward put it: "the reference may be either to a miscarriage or possibly to a physical deformity"

73

, while Westendorf translates it as "unregelmässige Geburt".

74 Considering that the Horus birth, the giving birth to twins and this latter one are next to each other in the text, their meaning must have been different. Because Horus was by no means distorted, handicapped or disabled but only a fragile infant (that is what his diseases reveal) the "Horus birth" most likely refers to children of delicate health, or probably to undeveloped infants. In contrast there is, probably, the "Amon birth ", — which was presumably applied of having a vigorous baby with a sound constitution, for the "breath of live" was usually provided by Amon. The ms d_3y.t labour might have been used for handicapped babies obviously deformed at birth, or describe a type of irregularity concerning the just born infant, that is some sort of physical alteration, who in extreme case could even look like a monster. The root of the word (d_3j — "cross, transfer etc. "), which is often written when used symbolically with the sign X, as can also be seen in the above mentioned second oraculum of the Torino papyrus

75

, refers also to something similar. It is used with the same sign at the end for the expressions "turn toward somebody, reach toward somebody hostilely" (for transferring body members toward a certain direction),

76 "stand unfriendly in the way of somebody, penetrate / enter in something" (transfers himself or one of his instruments toward a certain direction),

77 even in connection with diseases (Wb V. p. 514,15 and p. 515,1 ). Its further derivations were mostly used for the transferring or crossing of various real and virtual borders or limits, with the sign fit to the new meaning at the end: ferry across; cross land to (d3j), the Evening or Night of the New Year (d_3w), opponent (d3jw, d_3wtjw), wrong (d3w), wrongdoing, crime (d_3j.t), misery, need, Mischwachs / Fehljahr (Gr.)

78 (d3j.t). In conclusion the ms d3j.t ("transferring / crossing / transgressing birth ") seems most likely mean abnormal birth, where the healthy constitution "was transferred" into a distorted, unhealthy one, (producing a monster at the uttermost case), than a "transfer" of the timing of the birth, i.e. causing a premature or ill-timed birth. There are some known cases where permanent physical or mental underdevelopment or backwardness and disease can be detected on the infant, which caused its early death or which accompanied it along life.

79 Having X-rayed the 8-9 months old mummified foetus found in the tomb of Tutankhamon, it was realised, that he had suffered from scoliosis, 73 I. E. S. Edwards: o.e., p. 66, note 67. — papyrus T.2., lines 114—115, Vol. 2. pi. 23—24. 74 Wolfhart Westendorf: o.e., p. 425, note 733. 75 The hieroglyphic transcription of the texts allows the use of other determinative, too, but on the base of the photo of the papyrus published there only the preposition "r" prepositio is hurt, the place above it was left blank. 76 Erman, Adolf—Hermann Grapow: Wörterbuch der Aegyptischen Sprache, V, Leipzig, 1931, p. 514,4—13 77 Erman, Adolf—Hermann Grapow: o.e., p. 514, 14—515,4. 78 Plinius: Nat. Hist., Lib. VII. München, 1975, — according caput 35 in the time of emperor Claudius a hippocentaur was bora, which was sent to him preserved in honey. 79 E.g. Émile Chassinat

—Charles Palanque: Une Campagne de fouilles dans la nécropole d'Assiout, Cairo, 1911, MIFAO 24, p. 21—22, no. 5. pl. II. fig. 1 — a slender statue, fig. 4. Mummy with the symptôme of elephantiasis, A.T. Sandison: Diseases in Ancient Egypt, in Aidian and Eve Cockburn: Mummies, Disease and Ancient Cultures, Cambridge, 1980, p. 29.