Hydrophobia, λυϛϛα, λυττα, rabies: kilka słów o tym, jak starożytni próbowali leczyć wściekliznę

Rabies is one of the diseases longest known to man. The oldest records concerning rabies date back to the ancient Mesopotamia, although the disease was also known in Ancient Egypt. It was mentioned in legal and medical texts meaning that it must have been a matter of serious concern back at the time. Medics in Greece and Rome also tried to establish the disease’s aetiology, symptoms and methods of treatment; however, despite all efforts, before the time of Louis Pasteur and his research, nobody was able to even understand the mechanism of rabies, let alone develop effective methods for its prevention.