ABSTRACT
NoTHINGisknownofthemeansofhealingsickness employedbytheaboriginalEthiopians,butwemay assumethatthe"medicinemen"ofthedayhada knowledgeofthecurativepowerofwater,andwere acquaintedwiththepropertiesofcertainplants,both helpfulandharmful,andoils.Itispossiblethata limitedknowledgeofEgyptianmedicinefilteredinto EthiopiabywayofNubia,andthattheArabsfrom Yaman,whoinvadedthecountryfromtheseaabout B.c.1000,mayhavebroughtwiththemthesystemof medicinewhichwasinuseatthattimeintheneighbouringcountryofBabylonia.Withthecomingof theGreekmerchantstoAdulisandAksiiminthe firstcenturyofoureracamesomeknowledgeofthe medicalskilloftheAlexandrianSchool,andthiswas greatlyaddedtowhentheEthiopiansembraced ChristianityaboutA.D.350.ButthoughtheKing andthegreatofficialsofhisCourtemployedherbdoctorsandphysiciansfromtheWest,thepeople generallyadheredtotheirbeliefsinthenative "medicinemen,"whoreliedabsolutelyonspells andcharmstoeffectcures.Christiansaswellas pagansusedspells,onlyforthenamesofdemons anddevilstheysubstitutedthenamesofthePersons oftheTrinity,theTwelveApostles,theSevenArchangels,theFour-and-TwentyPriestsofheaven,etc.
