from the Book of Zohar, that this fact was already known to the Jews for seventeen hundred years, and that Avicenna, who had certainly read this cabalistical book, had adopted upon the separation of the bones of the pelvis, the same opinion, and had expressed it in very nearly the same terms, that the book of Zohar has been falsely attributed to Simeon ben Jochai, a doctor of the second century; but it, in fact, is the work of Moses of Leon, a Rabbi of the third century, which we have proved elsewhere. This last author, who lived in Spain, has borrowed this observation of the Arabic author, as he has done those of many others, to make his book interesting. He has imitated the style of the ancient doctors, and palmed off his book as a work of antiquity. But it is soon discoverable by its contents, that it is only the work of a modern Rabbi. 13 $ X. HANNINA, SAMUEL, RAB. However limited and imperfect the medical knowledge of the Jews at the third century, may appear to us, if we compare it with the actual condition of medicine, we cannot deny the tribute of admiration to the discoveries which they have made, and the great eminence to which they had carried the healing art, notwithstanding the state of ignorance which prevailed in reference to the science. We shall only speak of three physicians of that period. Hannina is the first of all the physicians of his nation. He placed upon his seal a branch of the palm tree, a symbol of true medicine.* He became the physician of Jehuda, son of Simeon, called by distinction, Rabbi Hanaschi Hakadosh, that is to say, master, prince and saint, who died in the year 205. The Talmud refers to our physician as distinguished at that period.† The second, Samuel, rendered himself remarkable among the most celebrated physicians of his time. He is generally styled *Talmud. Treatise Chulin, cap. ix. + Treatise Chulin, cap. 1, p. 7. Treatise Ioma, p. 49. Iarchinai, the astronomer, on account of his great knowledge in the science of the stars. Samuel, after having practised medicine in Palestine, established himself at Neharda, (Hardith) a city of Lower Mesopotamia, which he rendered famous by his miraculous cures. He was a good accoucheur, an excellent oculist, and cured the celebrated Iehuda, the prince, with a certain remedy which bears his name, the collyrium of Samuel.* His medical aphorisms are well known to the Talmudists.† Samuel appears in the sandy plains of medicine like that bountiful river which causes fertility through a part of the fields of Egypt. With what friendship does he hold the hand of Rab! Samuel and Rab were always closely united. A sympathy of disposition and character, an unalterable attachment, the same fondness for study, the same love for the sciences, distinguished these two friends. Whilst the first rendered himself immortal by the theory as well as the practice of medicine, the other devoted himself to the study of anatomy, so much neglected up to that period. He devoted a considerable sum for the purchase of subjects, in order that he might prosecute his anatomical researches.‡ But notwithstanding his researches, he described at that period only two hundred and forty-eight parts in man; but so little did they understand the true value of his science that they made use after his death, in 243, of the earth of his tomb to cure a fever.§ § XI. ABBA OUMNA. The Jewish physicians were numerous during the fourth century. We shall speak principally of Abba Oumna. This physician had a great reputation on account of his piety, his philanthropy, and his experience in his art. He made no distinction * Talmud. Treatise Sabbath, p. 108. See Talmud, Treatise Sabbath, p. 51, 78, 108, 133, 167. Treatise Ioma, p. 78. Treatise Thanith, p. 11. Treatise Iabomoth, 34. Treatise Chulin, p. 40. Treatise Sota, p. 10. Treatise Nedarim, p. 71. Treatise Baba Mezia, p. 107. Treatise Abodasara, p. 30, 31. Treatise Nidda, p. 13, 17, 25, 37, &c. Talmud. Treatise Bachoroth V. § Talmud. Treatise Sanhedrin, p. 47. between the poor and the rich; he gave his services to those distinguished for learning, exacting but a very trifling recompense for his services. He considered them as brothers and fellow laborers, whose labors were not less important than his own, since their efforts were directed to the healing of the maladies of the mind. Abba Oumna did not wish to discourage those who might stand in need of his skill, and who might feel ashamed at offering him too trifling a fee. He therefore caused to be hung up in his antichamber, a box, in which each one might deposite whatever he' deemed proper. Nevertheless, his reputation extended more and more every day; and Abbaye, one of the most wise and distinguished men of that age, having heard so much of him, wished to know if all that had been related of so learned a man, was true. He therefore sent to him two of his disciples who were quite sick. The physician received them with great kindness, administered to their diseases, and besides, invited them to pass the night in his house. This they did very willingly, and remained until the evening of the next day, when they came to take leave of him. Before departing, they possessed themselves of the carpet which covered the apartment where they had passed the night. They took it up and waited until their kind host should come to the place where they were standing, as if they had the carpet for sale. They asked of him how much it was worth. Abbe Oumna mentioned a certain sum. "Do you not think, Doctor," replied the disciples, "that it is worth more?" "No," replied the physician, "for it is exactly the sum that I paid for a carpet precisely like it.” "Noble man," replied they, "it is from you that we have taken it. Tell us fairly, when you perceived that it was missing, had you not a bad opinion of us?" "Certainly not," was the reply of this generous man. "Do you indeed believe that a child of Israel could think ill of any one, and form an unfavorable judgment of his neighbor, for one fault that he might have committed? I felt well assured that no use would be made of the carpet injurious to any one; therefore, permit things to remain as they are; sell the carpet, and give the money to the poor." The disciples obeyed his request, and promised to do as he directed, and left him with expressions of their respect and gratitude. This report added to his former brilliant reputation.* Nevertheless, the most noble trait of character in this celebrated physician, was that he never would receive a fee from the poor, and in respect of whom, he neglected nothing during their illness which could contribute to their recovery. When by his skill and attention he had re-established their health, he was accustomed to give them money, and to say, "Now, my children, go buy bread and meat, for these are the best and the only remedies that you now require." § XII. MEDICINE OF THE TALMUD. The Talmud, that Encyclopædiacal Library, was written about the middle of the fifth century. Among a great number of remarkable observations upon medicine that this ancient work contains, and of which we have already had occasion to speak, we will content ourselves with a reference to the following. Febrile movements, they considered the efforts of nature which tended to expel morbific matter and restore health. They gave a very good explanation of the halting of the posterior members in a lamb, which they attributed to a callosity which had formed around the spinal marrow. It said also that the best remedy for nausea was an emetic; that a sudden change of diet was injurious even where this was to one of a better quality; that milk fresh from the udder was the best; that a person should take more solid than liquid food before forty years of age, and after this period of life more liquid than solid; finally it rejected dubious remedies which deceive the hopes of those who make trial of them.t * Talmud. Treatise Taanith, p. 21. † Gunzburger, Medicine ex Talmudicis, Gottingen, 1743, 4to. Nevertheless, all the remedies laid down in the Talmud, are not of the same character; there are a number which are not based on observation and have no other origin than the prejudices of the age in which they were invented; in that class we rank all those which are found in the Treatises Sabbath and Ghittin.* We also find in those ponderous works of aphorisms those which equally bear the character of the time in which they were written, for example such as the following: a little bread and wine taken fasting preserved the liver from sixty-three different diseases. That it is a certain sign of sanguineous plethora when one dreams of a comb of a cock. Finally, it was generally believed in the age of the Talmud, that the Rabbis had the power to cure diseases by the laying on of hands and fasting and prayer. Besides, who is ignorant of the miraculous cures performed by the Rabbis Iochanan and Hannina,† we can thus easily explain the dislike which some of these doctors bear to the ordinary practitioners of medicine.‡ We will finish this paragraph by a quotation from the Talmud, more remarkable for its point than its gallantry. "Any disease, provided the bowels remain open; any kind of pain, provided the heart remain unaffected; any kind of uneasiness, provided the head is not attacked, all manner of evils, except it be a bad woman."S § XIII. DECLINE OF MEDICINE. From the fifth let us pass to the seventh century; the interval between those two epochs, presents no physician deserving of occupying our attention; the fall of the Persian empire, the conquest of the Arabians and the numerous revolutions of which those events were either the cause or consequence, disturbed the Treatise Ghittin, chap. vii. * Treatise Sabbath, chap. xviii. Talmud Treatise, Bachoroth, ch. 1, p. 5. Talmud Treatise, Kidouschin, 82. § Talmud Treatise, Bachoroth, ch. 1, p. 5. |