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Professor Roger Smith Shutterstock
S K IN D EEP: OVERCOMING BARRIERS FOR EFFECTIVE TRANSDERMAL D R U G D E L I V E RY 42
TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 53
Ancient art, modern science
One shared medicinal practice among disparate ancient societies was the application of primitive ointments to the skin to treat almost all and any ailments. A vast plethora of poultices and plasters have been described, including in Babylonian and Greek medicine texts1 among others, suggesting that the magical healthrestoring powers of ointments were well-recognized to traverse the skin. Thus, it was no coincidence that the skin was the preferred therapeutic route over surgical (and oral) intervention since the former method was likely to result in reduced mortality rates compared to the latter; undoubtedly an important consideration, given that the top ancient physicians were likely charged with the health of the royal courts.