Ebers papyrus, Egyptian compilation of medical texts dated about 1550 bc, one of the oldest known medical works. The scroll contains 700 magical formulas and folk remedies meant to cure afflictions ranging from crocodile bite to toenail pain and to rid the house of such pests as flies, rats, and scorpions. It also includes a surprisingly accurate description of the circulatory system, noting the existence of blood vessels throughout the body and the heart’s function as centre of the blood supply. The Ebers papyrus was acquired by George Maurice Ebers, German Egyptologist and novelist, in 1873.