Hesy-Ra

Hesy-Ra, alt. Hesire, was an official, physician, possibly the first known in history, [Adolphe Gutbub, "Mélanges Adolphe Gutbub", Université de Montpellier 1984, p.190] [Ivan Van Sertima, "Blacks in Science: Ancient and Modern", Transaction Publishers 1983, p.131] and scribe who lived during the Third dynasty of Egypt, served under the pharaoh Djoser, and was buried in an elaborate tomb at Saqqara. He bore titles such as "Chief of Dentists and Physicians" [Helaine Selin, Hugh Shapiro, "Medicine Across Cultures: History and Practice of Medicine in Non-Western Cultures," Springer 2003, p.35] and "Chief of the King's Scribes."

Hesy-ra appears to have been renowned for his skill as a dentist and is thought by some to have recognized diabetes and polyuria. [M. Sara Rosenthal, "The Type 2 Diabetic Woman", McGraw-Hill Professional 1999, p.311]

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