They Had Great Knowledge Of Medicine And They Could Perform Surgeries

Tictils, or Aztec physicians, were adept herbalists who conducted medicinal research. The Aztecs believed that illness was caused by one of three things: an angry deity or goddess's wrath, an enemy's black magic, or natural causes. They employed a large collection of therapeutic herbs and plants, numbering in the hundreds. They employed maguey tree sap as a cleaner and wound healer, and Argemone mexicana as a pain reliever. The Aztecs used volcanic glass blades to perform surgery. To decrease fractures, they used traction and countertraction, as well as sprains and splints to immobilize fractures. They often covered the wound with crushed plants after surgery to speed up the healing process. They were well-versed in entheogenic flora and animals. They employed them not only for prophetic and religious purposes, but also for medical purposes. During surgeries, they employed the passion flower as a form of antispasmodic drug to relax muscles.

The collection of knowledge, beliefs, and rituals around human health and illness as observed among Nahuatl-speaking peoples in the Aztec territory of central Mexico are referred to as Aztec medicine. The Aztecs had a comprehensive inventory of medical herbs and plants that they knew about and used. From the conquest and later colonial periods, a number of indigenous Nahua and Novohispanic literary texts exist that detail features of the Aztec system and practice of medicine, including remedies, incantations, practical administration, and cultural roots. Traditional Nahua medicinal practices and beliefs can still be found in modern Nahua communities, albeit they are often mixed in with European or other subsequent influences.