Everyone wants to know secrets to good health. Its amazing how many health laws in the Bible have actually proven to have health benefits. Why should we be surprised that G-d's Word wouldn't contain practices that would allow and keep His people to be healthy? Let's take a look at some of them:
The Practice of Quarantine – Leviticus 13:1-4 KJV
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, (2) When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: (3) And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. (4) If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days... (for more, read the rest of Leviticus 13 and Leviticus 14 and Numbers 19:20)
The practice of quarantine for leprosy and other diseases from the Bible was ahead of its time (according to historical markers).
It was in 1873 that leprosy was found to be infectious rather than hereditary. It should be emphasized that the Israelites were the only culture to practice quarantine until the last century, when medical advances finally demonstrated the importance of sanitation and isolation during plagues. The devastating black plague of the 14th century that claimed millions of lives was not broken until the church fathers in Vienna began encouraging the public to start following the guidelines as set forth in the Bible. The promising results in Vienna compelled other cities to follow suit, and the dreaded plague was finally eradicated.
The Practice of Sanitation –
Leviticus 15:13 KJV
And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean. (for more, read the rest of Leviticus 15, Leviticus 11, Numbers 19, Deuteronomy 21:12)
It wasn't until the late 14th century that Louis Pasteur concluded that most infectious diseases were caused by microorganisms originating from outside the body. This new understanding of germs and their means of transmission led to improved sanitary standards that resulted in an enormous drop in the mortality rate. Yet these core principles of sanitation were being practiced by the Israelites thousands of years earlier.
The Idea of Bacteria – Leviticus 13:52 KJV
He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woolen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.Leprosy was diagnosed as a bacteria in 1873 by G. H. Armauer Hansen. It was he first bacterium to be identified as causing disease in humans. Leprosy has also been found to survive three weeks or longer outside the human body, such as in dust or on clothing no wonder why God told the Levitical priests to burn the garments of leprosy victims.
The Idea of Antiseptic –
Numbers 19:18 KJV
And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave. (for more, read Psalm 51:7)
Hyssop oil has been found to contain 50% antifungal and antibacterial agents. That is awesome considering that we use antibiotic ointments today.
Ideas in Childbirth – Leviticus 12:2-5 KJV
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. (3) And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. (4) And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. (5) But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.Childbirth fever is fever due to an infection usually of the placental site within the uterus.
Hospitals for childbirth became common in the 17th century in many European cities. These "lying-in" hospitals were established at a time when there was no knowledge of antisepsis or epidemiology, and patients were subjected to crowding, frequent vaginal examinations, and the use of contaminated instruments, dressings, and bedding. It was common for a doctor to deliver one baby after another, without washing his hands or changing clothes in between. Due to this reason childbirth fever was spread at a staggering pace to expecting mothers In 1843, it was recognized by Oliver Wendell Holmes that childbirth fever could be prevented if birth attendants washed after a delivery
Another reason G-d may have made this Law:
While a new mother was unclean (7–14 days), she was free from the duties of cooking and ordinary housework giving her time to regain her strength after delivering a baby. During the purification period (33–66 days), she remained in semi-isolation, thus avoiding crowds and contact with disease germs that could harm her or her newborn child. She was not required to travel to a place of worship to make an offering until the end of her purification period. Since travel was often arduous, this gave a nursing mother time for her breast milk to come in, to establish a feeding routine and for the baby to build antibodies and gain strength. The longer period for female babies was not due to male chauvinistic bias. Even today, female babies often have lower birth weights and higher mortality rates, so this longer period at home with the mother was meant to give them a better start in life.
What are other health practices that the Bible recommends that seem ahead of medical science at the time?
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Comments (19)
I never even thought about that before!
"The practice of quarantine for leprosy and other diseases from the
Bible was ahead of its time (according to historical markers)."
This was out of fear and the need to have a social hierarchy, not because they knew its medical implications.
"The longer period for female babies was not due to male chauvinistic
bias. Even today, female babies often have lower birth weights and
higher mortality rates, so this longer period at home with the mother
was meant to give them a better start in life."
There is still chauvinistic bias, a lot of people just fail to see it.
@misswonderj@xanga - They didn't know. But God did.
@ChrisRusso@xanga - So you're saying that the people who put people with leprosy in caves were controlled by God.
Wonderful, wonderful post and oh so true
@misswonderj@xanga - I'm saying that the people who were following a rudimentary system of quarantine based on their sacred writings knew nothing of bacteria or how diseases spread, but the God who dictated those sacred writings did.
Are you implying barbarism in quarantine? Because we still, in essence, "put people with leprosy in caves" to this day, though the caves are now special hospital wings.
@ChrisRusso@xanga - And what did I say that implied anything about barbarism?
Furthermore that's where we would hit a snag in our conversation: about whether the book was written by man or deity. Hence where we should agree to disagree. =)
Barry, another medical/scientific explanation for seemingly arbitrary Levitical laws: kosher foods. Keeping kosher would help an ancient culture prevent the ingestion of various parasites and disease, such as trichinosis. Nowadays we have stoves and gas ovens and know something about how well-done meat must be cooked, but the ancient peoples would have known only bits and pieces of this.
@misswonderj@xanga - Certainly--and neither side is provable, nor is able to disprove the other. Thus my statement of "God knew" is just as faith-based as your statement of "This was out of fear."
I concur--when two faith-based statements meet, an impasse is reached.
As a doula and childbirth educator, I am particularly interested in the information provided here on childbirth and time of purification. The information given in the second last paragraph there that explains the reasons why God would ordain a law to keep mom and baby home etc .........where did you find that? I'd love to transfer some of that information to my blog and share it with mothers, students, and clients that I know. It's pertinent to today for sure!
Even today, female babies often have lower birth weights and higher mortality rates,
Where did you hear that? I read recently that male babies are more likely to miscarry and have a higher infant mortality rate (more are conceived so that in infancy the numbers are about equal).
@ChrisRusso@xanga - you'd also have to prove that the earliest copy of the Bible predates any quarantine practices.
and actually, her side is very much provable. it's not as though the Bible is the only source we have for leprosy cases. there are far older Eastern texts concerning the disease. so unless you're willing to admit that those documents are inspired by God as well...
@ChrisRusso@xanga - People eat raw oysters and don't get sick. (At least... not from the food itself. Slurping down what feels like snot, though...) You'd think rather than "Dude, don't eat any of those!! Shellfish are an abomination!" God could have said "Cook your food. P.S. Hamburgers are awesome."
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - Give me a citation for these "far older Eastern texts" and I'll check them out.
If they contain detailed descriptions of leprosy but not the
quarantine factor, or not as comprehensive a quarantine factor, then it won't really affect this discussion that much...
I have to point out, though, that the Levitical passages are the first items listed in Wikipedia's article on "Quarantine," just before all the Muslim prophetic traditions. Not that Wikipedia is a definitive source, but still--if you got far older texts, let's see 'em, and we can go edit that article.
@Sir_Bissel@xanga - *shrug* There's a lot of things like that. Why is God so cryptic in prophecy? Why did Jesus speak in parables?
Well oysters are just one of, what, how many non-kosher foods? I could easily be wrong about the kosher thing being health-related--while I still think it seems to fit, there are lots of Levitical laws that have no practical purpose, only a symbolic one. The not wearing of blended-fabric clothing for example, which is probably symbolic of Israel not blending or being assimilated by other nations or something like that--but there's no actual benefit that I know of to not wearing linen/wool blends.
As for the question at the end of your post:
I have heard that the eighth day after birth is when a baby's immune system is strongest, hence the circumcision being on the eighth day and the baby being at lower risk of infection. Everyone posting here seems intent on arguing every point, so I would like to point out that I have no references for this at all, I've only heard this through word of mouth.Thought it was interesting :)
@ChrisRusso@xanga - People sometimes are so quick to try to explain away commandments that they forget what they are...commandments. They aren't really supposed to be medical guide or anything else that should be explained away. God gave the law, and people were to follow it.
@njbothwell@xanga - I've heard that this is when blood clotting starts working effectively.
Rabbits are verboten as are pork sausages. And some primitives still cut bits off their sons' willies. I'm unsure as to whether the latter has anything to do with the former.