suppose I'm a wealthy roman and I need a surgeon to remove the end of a sharp stick stabbed into my abdomen by a slave attempting escape. does whether I happen to be living AD297 Rome or AD1297 Constantinople, effect my survival odds much?

by grapp
Lilikoithepig

Your survival chances are more likely going to depend on whether or not your penetrating abdominal wound perforated your gut. Leakage of intestinal contents and bacteria, in the absence of antibiotics, usually leads to peritonitis (infection of abdominal cavity), sepsis (bloodstream infection) and then death. If you were lucky, the leakage would drain out mostly through your stab wound and you'd survive with an enterocutaneous fistula - think colostomy.

Impressively, the Romans did have surgical techniques for identifying and repairing intestinal lacerations. Celsus, writing in about 47 CE, specifically noted:

"Sometimes the abdomen is penetrated by a stab of some sort, and it follows that intestines roll out. When this happens we must first examine whether they are uninjured, and then whether their proper colour persists. The larger intestine can be sutured, not with any certain assurance, but because a doubtful hope is preferable to certain despair; for occasionally it heals up."

Celsus goes on to discuss washing the exposed intestines, suturing the abdominal wall, and applying honey dressings to the wound. (Honey is still used for wound care applications due to its antiseptic properties)

Modern trauma surgery has adhered to most of this basic approach, albeit with antibiotics and better hygiene.

Interestingly, Celsus' work was "lost" for several centuries about the time of your second date before being rediscovered to great acclaim in 1443. For that reason alone I would rather be stabbed at your earlier date.

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