Although findings are preliminary, it appears that treating constipation preoccupied early doctors.
"The ancient Egyptians used a diverse range of plants for an equally diverse range of medical conditions," lead researcher Ryan Metcalfe told Discovery News. "Laxatives dominated the field, with bulk laxatives, such as figs, bran and dates in common use."
Metcalfe, a scientist in the university's School of Medicine, added that the Egyptians used bowel stimulants such as the bitter fruit coloynth and castor oil, "which remained in clinical use until about 40 years ago."
Well, based on my experiences in Egypt, that's probably the least of one's worries. . . .