14 September 2010

Ze Science, Eet Is Cool

Roman medicine found in a shipwreck:

[...]

Within the kit, the archaeologists found a bleeding cup, a surgery hook and a mortar. They also recovered 136 drug vials made of boxwood and several tin containers carrying circular, flat green tablets -- each about three centimeters wide and half a centimeter thick. Because they were sealed, the pills were completely dry even though they had been laying on the sea floor for millennia.

[...]

After comparing the sequences to the GenBank genetic database maintained by the US National Institutes of Health, he identified many plants typical of a vegetable garden, including carrot, radish, parsley, celery, wild onion and cabbage. Alfalfa, yarrow and the more exotic hibiscus were also part of the mix.

"The plants match those described in ancient texts such as those by the ancient Greek physicians Dioscorides and Galen. However, more work has to be done since we do not have the complete sequence for each plant, but only fragments which could belong to other species as well," Touwaide said.

I didn't know that pills had been around for that long....

2 comments:

Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein said...

Medicine marches on.

Mauigirl said...

Very interesting! Ironically they sound similar to many supplements you can buy at Whole Foods and various drug stores!