title: Unique surgical tool as an iatromagic charm.
abstract: Papyri are writings made on special sheets made out of reeds grown on the banks of the river Nile. The Authors comment on the relationship between a ritual text and surgical therapy with an exploration of an ancient charm as recorded in a Greek written papyrus stored in the Medicea Laurenziana Library papyri collection. This charm was presumably intended to act apotropaically, rendering harmless the aggressive surgical tool by means of still keeping its therapeutic value and thereby affording healing protection. This ritual charm acts as a "therapeutic medium" to help the surgical procedure useful to cut or to excise the uvula. The surgical power of stafillotomos is linked to the protective power of the iatromagic charm, giving the chance to analyze ancient data and to suggest a possible shape of the original scalpel.
authors.forename: Alfredo Musajo
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Somma
authors.forename: Laura Musajo
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Somma
mesh_terms: D000076144:Egypt, Ancient; D018645:Greek World / Q000266:history*; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D008374:Manuscripts, Medical as Topic / Q000266:history*; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000266:history*