Sometimes Syrian incense or fir-gum, imported from Scio, is melted and allowed to cool in the form of a pledget. This is passed over the face, and all the down adhering to it is pulled up by the roots. He adds that many Anglo-Indians adopt the same precautions.
Ewald, referring to the laws concerning women, says:[181] “The monthly period of the woman brought with it the second grade of uncleanness, which lasted the space of seven days, but without rendering necessary the use of specially prepared water. Everything on which the woman sat or lay during this time, and every one who touched such things or her, incurred the uncleanness of the first grade.”
We find the demon-theory of disease in force in the time of Josephus. He says:[182]—
“Now within this place there grew a sort of rue, that deserves our wonder on account of its largeness, for it was no way inferior to any fig-tree whatsoever, either in height or in thickness; and the report is that it had lasted ever since the time of Herod, and would probably have lasted much longer had it not been cut down by those Jews who took possession of the place afterward; but still in that valley which encompasses the city on the north side, there is a certain place called Baaras, which produces a root of the same name with itself; its colour is like to that of flame, and towards evening it sends out a certain ray like lightning; it is not easily taken by such as would do it, but recedes from their hands; nor will yield itself to be taken quietly, until either οὖρον γυναικὸς ἢ τὸ ἔμμηνον αἵμα be poured upon it; nay, even then it is certain death to those that touch it, unless any one take and hang the root itself down from his hand, and so carry it away. It may also be taken another way, without danger, which is this: they dig a trench quite round about it, till the hidden part of the root be very small; they then tie a dog to it, and when the dog tries hard to follow him that tied him, this root is easily plucked up, but the dog dies immediately, as if it were instead of the man that would take the plant away; nor after this need any one be afraid of taking it into their hands. Yet, after all this pains in getting, it is only valuable on account of one virtue it hath—that if it be only brought to sick persons, it quickly drives away those called Demons, which are no other than the spirits of the wicked, that enter into men that are alive and kill them, unless they can obtain some help against them.”
If we may consider Josephus as a fair type of the learned and liberally educated men of his time, we are compelled to admit that the theory of disease held by the Hebrews of the period was not much, if at all, in advance of the rest of the world. It was undoubtedly largely the demoniacal theory of sickness. In the Antiquities of the Jews[183] Josephus, in his description of the sagacity and wisdom of Solomon, says: “God also enabled him to learn the skill that expels demons, which is a science useful and sanative to men. He composed such incantations also by which distempers are alleviated. And he left behind him the manner of using exorcisms, by which they drive away demons so that they never return; and this method of cure is of great force unto this day; for I have seen a certain man of my own country, whose name was Eleazar, releasing people that were demoniacal.” He goes on to describe the process of extracting the demon from the sick man through his nostrils.
So again, in telling the story of Saul’s possession by the evil spirit from the Lord, he says:[184] “The physicians could find no other remedy but this—that if any person could charm those passions by singing and playing upon the harp, they advised them to inquire for such a one.” He seems to imply that David cured Saul by an incantation; and Spanheim, commenting upon the story, says that the Greeks had such singers of hymns, and that usually children or youths were picked out for that service, and that they were called singers to the harp.[185]
Whether David merely influenced Saul in the natural and touching way so beautifully described by Robert Browning in his poem “Saul,” we must bear in mind that an “incantation” was precisely of the character of the Bible story, and that the demon theory of Saul’s malady is plainly stated.[186]
Herzog[187] enumerates the following as the diseases of the Bible:—1. Fever and ague (Lev. xxvi. 16). 2. Dysentery (Acts xxviii. 8), with, probably, prolapsus ani, as in Jehoram’s case (2 Chron. xxi. 15, 19). 3. Inflammation of the eyes, due to heat, night dews, sea breeze, flying sand, injuries, etc. (Lev. xix. 14; Deut. xxvii. 18; Matt. xii. 22, etc.). 4. Congenital blindness (John ix. 1). 5. Disease of the liver. 6. Hypochondria. 7. Hysteria. 8. Rheumatism and gout (John v. 2, 3). 9. Consumption, a general term, including hectic, typhoid, and other fevers (Lev. xxvi. 16; Deut. xxviii. 22, etc.). 10. Phthisis (?), indicated by leanness (Isa. x. 16). 11. Atrophy of muscles, “withered hand,” being due either to rheumatism, plugging up of the main artery of the limb, or paralysis of the principal nerve, etc. (Matt. xii. 10; 1 Kings xiii. 4-6, etc.). 12. Fevers in general (Matt. viii. 14, etc.). 13. Pestilence (Deut. xxxii. 24). 14. Oriental pest, the so-called “bubonenpest,” characterised by swellings in the groins, armpits, etc.; a very fatal disorder (Lev. xxvi. 25; Deut. xxviii. 21, 27, 60, etc.). 15. Boils (2 Kings xx. 7, etc.). 16. Sunstroke (2 Kings iv. 19, etc.). 17. Gonorrhœa (Lev. xv. 2). 18. Metrorrhagia, or uterine hemorrhage (Lev. xv. 25; Luke viii. 43, etc.). 19. Sterility (Gen. xx. 18, etc.). 20. Asa’s foot disease, either œdema or gout (2 Chron. xvi. 12). 21. Elephantiasis (?) (Job ii. 7). 22. Dropsy (Luke xiv. 2). 23. Cancer (2 Tim. ii. 17). 24. Worms; may have been phthiriasis (lice) (2 Macc. ix. 5-9). 25. Leprosy. 26. Itch and other skin diseases (Deut xxviii. 27). 27. Apoplexy (1 Sam. xxv. 37, etc.). 28. Lethargy (Gen. ii. 21; 1 Sam. xxvi. 12). 29. Paralysis, palsy (Matt. iv. 24; Acts iii. 2, etc.). 30. Epilepsy, the so-called “possession of devils” (Matt. iv. 24, etc.). 31. Melancholia, madness (Deut. xxviii. 28, etc.). 32. Nervous exhaustion (1 Tim. v. 23). 33. Miscarriage (Exod. xxi. 22). 34. “Boils and blains,” erysipelatous (Exod. ix. 9). 35. Gangrene and mortification (2 Tim. ii. 17). 36. Poisoning by arrows (Job vi. 4). Poisoning from snake-bite (Deut. xxxii. 24). 37. Scorpions and centipedes (Rev. ix. 5, 10). 38. Old age, as described in Eccles. xii. I am inclined to add to this list Syphilis, which seems to me to be clearly indicated by several verses in Proverbs xii., in the warnings against the strange woman, e.g. verses 22, 23, 26, and 27.
The law forbade a Levite who was blind to act as a physician. Anatomy and pathology were not understood, as it was considered pollution even to touch the dead.
The surgical instruments of the Bible are the sharp stone or flint knives with which circumcision was performed, and the awl with which a servant’s ear was bored by his master (Exod. iv. 25; Josh. v. 2; Exod. xxi. 6). Roller bandages are referred to for fractures (Ezek. xxx. 21). Job used a scraper when he was smitten with boils (Job ii. 8). The materia medica of the Bible is meagre. A poultice of figs—a favourite remedy in ancient times—is ordered in 2 Kings xx. 7.