JEWISH HYGIENE AND DIET, 
THE TALMUD AND VARIOUS OTHER 
JEWISH WRITINGS, 
HERETOFORE UNTRANSLATED. 
1 
CARL H, yon KLEIN, A, M„ M, D, 
Delivered before the Annual Meeting of the~American 
Medical Association, at Washington, D. C. 
May, 1884. JEWISH HYGIENE AND DIET, THE TALMUD 
AND VARIOUS OTHER JEWISH WRITINGS 
HERETOFORE UNTRANSLATED. 
Reprinted from the Journal of the American Medical Associatio» 
September 27, 1884. 
We are now in the age of pride and the Niobe of 
nations. But when we look back even to the dark 
age of the Egyptians, we find that our sanitary meas- 
ures are far behind any other advancements of mod- 
ern civilization. 
Hygeia, commonly called the goddess of health,, 
and from which the term hygiene has its etymology,, 
was a pretender, as well as her father Esculapius,who 
styled himself the god of medicine. 
But when we look back beyond the days of those 
pretenders, we find that nations lived hundreds of 
years before them,whose literature was everpreserved 
by a nation which has preserved itself and survived 
nations of ordinary power. 
When the Egyptians strove amongst themselves, 
their literature was destroyed, and the loss of the 
library of Alexandria is felt at the present age. 
But of those people of whom I am now about to 
speak, though driven from country to country, and 
from nation to nation, at all ages and in all centuries, 
and are still persecuted, nevertheless their literature 
is preserved and shines forth with them in full ma- 
turity. 
Hippocrates, who is supposed to have lived about 
400 years before Christ, whose writings on medical 
art have been preserved, and who endeavored to ex- 
plain the causes of disease in the human frame, and 
their symptoms, and pointed out their preventatives, 
and laid down sanitary regulations and gyerrh-e-; for 2 
the preservation of health, appears to have been ac- 
quainted with those large volumes of scientific writ- 
ing, as he well describes their contents. 
I am surprised at Galen, the great master, one of 
the most illustrious men in the annals of medical sci- 
ence, that he does not mention something about them. 
But I am not surprised at Paracelsus, the father of 
quacks, who styled himself Theophrastus Bombastus, 
Philosophus, and other great names to which he was 
not entitled. 
Ever since the days of Halle, and to the present 
day, men have lived in both hemispheres who became 
illustrious for their researches in sanitary science, still, 
on those great works which embrace the teaching and 
learning of human hygiene, they are mute. 
I mean the illustrious works of the Jewish Talmud, 
the greater part of its contents, hygiene, a perfect 
treatise for preserving health. One might not think 
it possible that the researches of the learned could 
overlook such a valuable scientific writing. It is 
strange but nevertheless true, and can be partly ex- 
plained. They are writings and teachings of a creed 
whose name was, before the crucifixion of Christ, and 
ever since has been hated, persecuted, and rebelled 
against. 
Secondly, they are written in languages that mod- 
ern scientists are unacquainted with, from the fact that 
the Talmudic language is a conglomeration of the 
Hebrew, Chaldaic, Armaic, Syriac, Arabic, Greek 
and Latin. It was preserved by oral delivery for 
many generations before Christ, and until about the 
second century after Christ when the Mishna was com- 
piled. About the middle of the sixth century the en- 
tire work was finished. 
The mobn Talmud (teaching) comprises the Mish- 
na and the Gamara. Its contents are of a diversified 
character, relating not merely to religion, but to phil- 3 
osophy, medicine, history, jurisprudence and the 
various branches of practical duty. 
The rwo mishnah, (repetition), or in abbreviated 
form D"tv shas, (six), and the joraj gamara, (comple- 
tion or supplement), comprising the Talmud Babylon 
and Talmud Jerusalem is composed of six d’TID sed- 
arim or orders, containing 63 mroDO massecoth, or 
tracts, and 524 D'p“\3perakim, or chapters; of which 
231 are devoted to sanitary regulations or exercises. 
The first seder called D’;nr *no seder zeraim, the or- 
der of seeds, treats of sowing the productions of the 
earth, trees, uses of fruits, etc. It comprises the fol- 
lowing treatises: 
i- roDD fnassecoth berachoth, the treatise of 
blessings. 
2. DNS roots massecoth pehah, treatise of the corner. 
3. 'Xran noon massecoth demai, treatise of the doubt- 
ful. 
4- D'nSd rooo massecoth ciliam, treatise of the het- 
erogenous. 
5. rrjrsty roDD massecoth shebieth, of the seventh 
year. 
6. rrontD roDD massecoth terumah, of the oblation. 
7. ptyto "ityyn maasher rishon, of the first tenth, or 
tithe. 
8. 'Jty “uyyo maasher sheni, of the second tenth. 
9. nhn challah, of the cake. 
10. orlah, of the prepuce. 
it. D’-iiDU bicurim, of the first fruits. 
The second seder called lym -no seder meed, the 
order of festivals, when they should begin and termin- 
ate, the different ceremonies to be observed on such 
occasions, etc., comprises the following treatises: 
1. roty roon massecoth shabboth, of the laws of the 
Sabbath. 
2. D'Sny erubim, of mixtures, showing how, on 
the evening of the Sabbath, the food collected by 
various neighbors should be united as if they be- 4 
longed to one household, so that persons living at a 
distance should not break the Sabbath by too long 
journeys. [This treatise has some hygienic bearing]. 
3. DTID3pesachim, the passover. 
4. D’SptP shekalim, shekels, treatise on contribu- 
tions. 
5. xnv yoma, the day of atonement, treats of the 
solemnities peculiar to it. 
6. riDiD succah, tabernacles, how they are to be 
built and used. This contains, also, some hygienic 
rules on ventilation. 
7. nV'3 betzah, egg, whether an egg laid on a fes- 
tival day should be eaten that day or not. 
8. DJtyn tyxi rosh hashannah, New Year’s, how 
the day should be kept. 
9. myn taanith, fasts, treats of the various fasts 
throughout the year. 
10. megillah, the roll, treats of the feast of 
Purim. 
11. jit3p ijnd moed katon, minor feasts. 
12. nj'jn chagigah, sacrifices on festivals, treats of 
the three great festivals when all the males were 
obliged to appear before the Lord, and the sacrifices 
they were to bring. 
The third seder called "HD seder nashim, the 
order of women, this section discusses the distinctive 
rights of men and women, marriage, divorce, the 
customs, inclinations and sickness of women. It is 
divided into the following treatises: 
1. rwrzy yebamoth, brother’s widow, treats of the 
law obliging a brother to marry the relict of his de- 
ceased brother. 
2. roro cethuboth, marriage settlements, relates 
to marriage contracts, dowries, etc. 
3. D"nj nedarim, vows, what vows are binding or 
not, who can make vows and who not. 
4. r\VUJ neziroth, Nazarites, the laws relating to 
them. 5 
5> f'B'J gittin, divorce. This treatise has many 
valuable points on medical jurisprudence on that 
subject. 
6. ntoiD sotah, jealousy, trial of, treats of women 
suspected of conjugal infidelity. 
7. jnsrnp kiddushin, betrothing, treats of the laws 
of espousal. It states that all ass-drivers are wicked, 
camel-drivers are honest, sailors are pious, physicians 
are destined for hell, and butchers are company for 
Amalek. 
The fourth seder is called pp'?J no seder nezekin, 
the order of damages, and is composed of the follow- 
ing treatises: 
1. *op *03 baba kama, the first gate. It assesses 
damages done by a beast according to the benefit it 
receives. If it eats a peck of dates its owner would 
be fined a peck of barley, as dates are not more nour- 
ishing to a beast than barley. 
2. Ky'VD K33 baba metziah, the middle gate, treats 
of the laws of usury, landlord and tenant, etc. 
3. Kin3 K33 baba bathra, the last gate, relates to 
commercial transactions, buying and selling, inherit- 
ances, etc. 
4- j’-nruD sanhedrin, treats of the great national 
senate. 
5. niDO maccoth, stripes, relating to the forty 
stripes which were to be inflicted on certain offenders. 
6. mj’iaty shebuoth, oaths, who are qualified to take 
them. A vast amount of medical jurisprudence is 
found in these chapters, as it treats of persons who 
are disqualified—women, slaves, idiots, deaf persons, 
the blind, the wicked, despised relations, and those 
interested in their evidence. 
7. nnj? edaioth, evidences, respecting witnesses 
and witness-bearing. 
8. ni3X aboth, fathers, contains a history of those 
ho handed down the oral law. 6 
9* nnin horaioth, punishment, how persons were 
to judge in cases of trial, and how transgressors were 
to be punished. 
io. nil minx abodah zarah, idolatry, or the wor- 
ship of stars and meteors, and how to avoid idolatry. 
The fifth seder is called D'BHp mo seder kodashim, 
the order of holy things, treating of sacrifices, obla- 
tions, their different species, etc. It is composed of 
the following: 
1. DTOT zebachim, sacrifices, the nature and qual- 
ity of the offerings. 
2. rwiJD menachoth, meat offerings. 
3. {’Sin cholin, unconsecrated things. This treat- 
ise is a notable endeavor towards the protection of 
animals, as well as to the hygiene of mankind. It 
treats of what is clean and unclean, of not eating the 
sinew that shrank, and not killing the dam and her 
young in one day. 
4. nniD2 becoroth, first-born, respecting the first- 
born of beasts. 
5. jOlj/ eracin, estimations, relates to the valuing 
and taxing of things dedicated to God. 
6. ' miD/i teniurah, exchanges, the manner in 
which exchanges are to be made in sacred things. 
7. nir\’"0 cerithuth, cutting off, treats of offenders 
cut off from God. 
8. nS’jtD meilah, trespass, treats of things partak- 
ing of the nature of sacrilege. 
9. TD/i tarnid, daily sacrifices. 
10. nno middoth, measurements, relates to the 
measure of the temple. 
11. D'jp kinnim, birds’ nests. 
The sixth and last seder is called niino “HD seder 
taharoth, the order of purifications, relative to the 
purity and impurity of vessels, to household furniture, 
and other things and the way they should be purified. 7 
It is composed of twelve treatises almost entirely de- 
voted to hygiene, as follows : 
1. d"Sd celim, vessels, treats of vessels and house- 
hold goods which convey uncleanness. 
2. mSrtN aholoth, tents, treats of tents, cottages 
and houses retaining uncleanness, how persons who 
enter them become unclean, and how they are to be 
cleansed and disinfected. 
3. negaim, plague of leprosy, treats of lep- 
rosy of men, garments, or dwellings, how their pol- 
lution is conveyed and how they are purified. 
4. ni3 parah, the red heifer, directs how she is to- 
be burned and her ashes used in purifying. 
5. nnno tahoroth, purifications, how purification 
is to be effected when a person who has touched an. 
object has been made unclean. 
6. nisopn mikvaoth, pools of water, concerning the 
reservoirs of water in which the Jews bathed, or 
washed themselves. 
7. mj niddah, separation, the uncleanness of 
women during the menstrual period, etc. 
8. pTBOO meeshirin, liquors, treats of fluids and 
their purification. 
9. D'2T zabim, issues, treats of nocturnal pollution, 
seminal emissions, masturbation, etc. 
to. dv SiDD tebul yom, the day of baptism, treats 
of certain days when the Jews have to wash their 
bodies, or immerse themselves in order to become 
clean. 
11. D'T yadaim, hands, respecting the washing of 
hands before eating any meal. 
12. p'pU’ oketzin, stalks of fruits, relative to the 
stalks of fruits and how they become unclean by 
touching other fruits. 
It can be seen from the above treatise that it is full 
of hygiene. It is true that it contains many fabu- 
lous, trifling, absurd, childish and irreverent things, 8 
and we coincide with Milman when he says:1 “the 
Talmud, that wonderful monument of human indus- 
try, human wisdom and human folly.” 
The only people at present, with very few excep- 
tions, who seem to be acquainted with the Talmud 
are the Jews, and they appear to be silent or skeptical 
in regard to it. I cannot conceive why those Jewish 
physicians living in the most enlightened parts of 
civilization, in America and Europe, in a city like 
Vienna, for instance, where in fact the greater part 
of the medical faculty of the University of that city 
is composed of Jewish writers and teachers, who are 
second to none, why they should be silent on the 
writings and teaching of this great work which has 
been suppressed for so many generations. 
It rests with me in my humble judgment to think 
they are guilty of two unpardonable mistakes,—one 
the fear of prejudice to their reputation by revealing 
their treasures,—the other, their false impression that, 
it is theological and of no value to science. It is 
said2 Galileo read medicine with a Jewish physician 
who taught him the Talmud, and from which he 
formed his ideas of astronomy, and that should re- 
mind them of him who to the last moment said “it 
moves for all that.” They forget that the3 Code? 
Romana is taken from the Talmud, on which is based 
all the moral and civil law of all civilized govern- 
ments. They forget that among the commentators 
were physicians of no simple ability, men like Maim- 
onides, D301 Rambam, commonly called Moses 
Egypticus, who was a physician to the Sultan ; Nach- 
mandides called pot; Ramban, who wrote valuable 
works on medicine; Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac, com- 
monly called 'un Rashi, and many other illustrious 
men of the middle ages, like Ibn Gabrial, lbn Ezra, 
1 Milman, History of the Jews. Book xx. 
- Kacconto Viti di Galileo a Agostino Mascardi. 
3 Historia Codex Romana. Cap. xxii, a Clodius. 9 
Abarbanel, and Alfosi, some of them were even coun- 
sellors to crowned heads.—the illustrious Abarbanel1 
was privy counsellor to Alphonse the V, King of Por- 
tugal. If men of this rank could take advice from 
those men, I think we surely could be benefited by it. 
We could translate with great pride Egyptian, Gre- 
cian, Roman and Hindoo, names not worthy of 
mention, but of those men whose names would deco- 
rate the index of medical authors, the annals of 
medical science is obliterated. 
Those names just mentioned are but a few of the 
great commentators, whose discourses taken sepa- 
rately would no doubt be approved by the present 
most advanced minds of sanitary science. 
Those works would have long been in the hands of 
progressive physicians, if not for the short life of 
Chiarini, an Italian, who proposed to publish a 
French translation of the whole Jerusalem and Baby- 
lon Talmud. In his Thearie du Judaism and in his 
Talmud Babylon, Leipsic, 1831, he explained his 
views and intentions. His death, however, while at- 
tending the sick, of cholera, in 1832, unhappily cut 
short his labors. 
There were numerous others who have attempted 
to translate separate treatises and chapters. The best 
of all is the one lately published by Doctor Rabbi- 
nowitz, of Paris, though not complete but worthy of 
note. I trust it will soon be translated in many 
other modern languages. 
Happening to be one day in the Union Hebrew 
College of Cincinnati, I listened to a boy of four- 
teen, who so clearly recited to his instructor and 
translated it into English the Talmud phin cholin 
giving all the anatomical names of the animals, and 
describing the pathological views of the organs, their 
healthy and unhealthy appearance, that with pain J 
1 Historia Politica Lusitania, d’ Somduva, 10 
thought if here is but a boy, probably without a fin- 
ished education, who can translate so readily, how 
easily could a physician of his race, with all the ac- 
complishments of modern education perform the task. 
It left one to charge them with gross negligence and 
rational hypothesis for their assumption. 
There are besides the Talmud many other valuable 
works among the Jews which are almost entirely 
devoted to hvgiene, viz. : dix ”n Chi Adam, life of 
man; *jny jnSw Sulchan Oruch, a set table; 
D”n miK Aarach Chaim, path of life; njH mv 
yorah dealt, teaching of knowledge, etc. 
I would enter into detail of the mvo nn Tarjag 
Mitzvoth, six hundred and thirteen commands of the 
law, more than one-half of which pertain to hygiene, 
and show that the whole period of Jewish life, from 
Alpha to Omega, is based upon sanitary measures and 
morality, which is the basis of health. But my time 
being limited, I will attempt to prove this as briefly 
as possible, and comment upon it, basing my views 
upon the researches of many scientific investigators 
and naturalists. 
To do this we must commence with the first origin 
of the race. Our earliest acquaintance of Jewish 
history discloses the fact that it has commenced with 
a sanitary act. Abraham was the first Jew who 
became such by circumcision. In his days there 
lived a people all around, in the foremost rank. 
The Canaanites and Egyptians were distinguished 
for their sensual propensities, especially for their low 
passions in lust and harlotry, so that scarcely one 
female from the age of three years and upwards could 
be found without having been defiled ; not one woman 
was safe from being ravished ; a husband had to guard 
against jeopardy on her account. For the truth of 
this statement we must refer to Biblical history, 
JGenesis xvij. 11 
When Abraham was to start for Egypt he took the 
precaution to deny his wife Sarah, claiming her to be 
his sister, he feared the Egyptians might slay him and 
take possession of her, whereupon the ancient Rabbi’s 
comment “because the Egyptians were then well 
known for being an unchaste, lascivious and lewd 
character.” 2It relates further that Abraham sent his 
servant Eliezer to select a wife for his son Isaac from 
amongst the maidens of his own kinsmen and there 
was but one maiden, Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel, 
and she was a pure virgin, never having been defiled 
by any man. It implies, says the great commenta- 
tor Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac (Rashi), 3that all the 
girls of other parentage were either naturally rup- 
tured or misused in an unnatural way. 
By such a state of prostituted humanity Abraham 
deemed necessary some prophylactic, so as to protect 
his descendants against raging diseases which might 
occur from such a state of immorality. 
Abraham was a patriarch and philanthropist, a 
lover of humanity; his father, an idol maker, made 
him acquainted with human weakness of faith. He 
knew well he could make his people follow him by 
impressing upon them a power above mankind, so he 
declared circumcision an ecclesiastical act, and like 
other true men, upon his own person, at his old age, 
ventured the operation. 
By this he has accomplished something that every 
physician of the present day approves. Humanity 
might be proud if every man in the world was cir- 
cumcised. It is true they do not claim it as a sani- 
tary measure, but I do not care, be it to serve God 
or the devil, I for one would feel proud of its opera- 
tion. The horrible suffering from phymosis and 
paraphymosis is but too well known and can not 
occur within the tribes of Israel. 
'Genesis xx. 
2Genesis xxiv. , 
3Rashi’s Commentary on the Bible. Genesis xxiv. 12 
It appears that the Jews were educated to morals from 
their beginning, contrary to the “ History of Prosti- 
tution ” by Dr. Sanger, wherein he claims that pros- 
titution commenced with Jewish women, and was a 
common thing among them even without shame. He 
endeavors to prove this by relating the criminal inter- 
course of Tamor and Judah. This is one of the curi- 
ous errors into which learned men occasionally fall, 
strangely and unaccountably. ’Tamar was not a 
Jewess. 
He further aims to prove by Judah sending his 
friend, a man of high standing, to redeem his pledges. 
It can be proved just the contrary by a careful per- 
usal ; that when he sent the Adullamite to replevy his 
cloak, bracelet and staff, and when he returned say- 
ing he could not find her, Judah said : 2“ Let her 
take it to her, lest we will be shamed.” And after 
he found out Tamar his daughter-in-law played the 
harlot, and that she was pregnant, he would not rec- 
ognize her. 
If prostitution was so common among the Jews 
they would surely have some infection, or at least 
some disease, but we must admit that there is no dis- 
ease mentioned within the whole book of Genesis 
except that Leah had sore eyes. 
It is true that the Egyptians were so wicked in 
their practice, that it may seem incredible to us, but 
it admits of the fullest proof that 3prostitution was 
a part of their worship, and in some of their temples 
large numbers of females were kept, and the price of 
their shame went to the support of their priests. Sons 
cohabited with their mothers, brothers with their sis- 
ters and Avith their nearest kinsmen ; man with man, 
and man with beast. 
Such was the state of affairs among the Egyptians 
'Kitto’s Biblical Cyclopaedia. 
2Genesis xxxviii. . 
3 Manley’s Commentary of the Bible, vol. iii, chap, xx, sec. viii. 13 
at the time of Moses the great legislator. He, with 
his philanthropic heart and active mind, saw that his 
people were in danger of becoming educated to the 
same mode of life as the Egyptians. Moses, like 
Abraham, saw that he could be believed only by 
frightening them by commands through a heavenly 
king. He at once proceeded to Mount Sinai to receive 
such commands. When he returned he appeared with 
mystical performances, with fire all around him, heavy 
clouds were produced by the smoke, thunder and 
lightning followed as a matter of course. These had 
great effects upon the people and his commands were 
kept holy ; not only the ten commandments, but all 
other commands that Moses claimed to be the gift of 
a God. Here again he instructs them : After the 
doings of the land of Egypt wherein ye dwell shall 
ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Ca- 
naan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do * * * 
none of you shall approach to any that is near of kin 
to him, to uncover their nakedness. The nakedness 
of thy father or the nakedness of thy mother shalt 
thou not uncover ; thou shalt not uncover the naked- 
ness of thy father’s wife ; * * * of thy sister ; 
* * * of thy son’s daughter; * * * of thy 
father’s wife’s daughter; * * of thy father’s sister; 
* * * of thy mother’s sister,” etc., “also thou 
shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her 
nakedness so long as she is put apart for her unclean- 
ness • * * * * thou shalt not lie with mankind 
as with womankind. Neither shalt thou lie with any 
beast to defile thyself therewith ; neither shall any 
woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto, 
* * * * for in all these the nations are defiled 
which I cast out before you.” 
Indeed, it can be seen by the Egyptian doctrine of 
metempsychosis or transmigration that it tended di- 
1 Exodus, xix. 14 
rectiy to induce this crime. It is not, however, A 
matter of inference, but of historical truth that this 
crime was practiced in Egypt both by males and fe- 
males, but the code of Moses intercepted the Jews 
from following the footsteps of their neighbors; and 
right here it is proper for us to remark that its influ- 
ence continued unto all generations. There were 
intervals when the Jews became perfidious. There 
were many who became 1 uncircumcised in order to 
devow their nationality. Under such circumstances 
it became a necessity to establish laws more rigid 
than those given by Moses. Here arose the great 
Rabbis and compilers of the Talmud and formed a 
pVUD Sanhedrin who established a court of law 
which had the power to enact religious ordinances 
and to decide legal cases, with pains and penalties 
according to their crime, having jurisdiction over life 
and death. This tribunal consisted of seventy-one 
men,2 the most learned among the Jews, who were the 
highest power of the nation. 
Besides this great body at Jerusalem there existed 
many minor Sanhedrins consisting of twenty-three 
members, in every large country, while at smaller 
places the judiciary consisted of three persons, 
composing their minor courts. The former men- 
tioned Sanhedrins are the ones who ordained the 
great laws of hygiene. The last mentioned minor 
courts are still in existence and operation in almost 
every congregation throughout Europe. They are 
termed p no baith din, house of judgment. Their 
main acts are decisions upon what is ibo cashir, clean, 
or ya'Ott traipha, unclean, so that if anything occurs 
within a Jewish household that raises the question of 
cleanness it is referred to this body, and their deci- 
sion is generally abided by. These questions arise 
1 Celsus describes the operation. DeRe Medica, vii, 25. 
2 Some claim seventy-two, including the High Priest. 15 
very frequently, especially among the Orthodox Jews, 
as their cleanliness is amazingly great. 
In washing the hands, D'T natilat yadaim, 
they are not only instructed to do this, but they are 
told in what manner: for instance, they are not to 
wash their hands by dipping them in a vessel, but the 
water must be poured upon them ; they must pour 
with the right hand upon the left, and with the left 
on the right, etc., three times; after this they wash 
the face and rinse the mouth, drying the hands and 
face with a towel. This must be done as soon as they 
arise from the bed,—even in the daytime. They 
must not touch any portion of the body before this 
is done; also before and after each meal, after each 
evacuation or urination, or the touching of dead 
bodies or anything unclean. In districts of Ortho- 
dox Jews they have public baths which are used every 
morning before breakfast by each individual; these 
are termed nVstD Bait Tbilah, a house of bap- 
tism. This certainly is a very notable endeavor to 
prevent disease. 
It lays down sanitary regulations for what they 
must eat and drink. The diet is so regulated that 
one article of food will not interfere with another in 
digestion ; for instance, after eating meat they are to 
wait three hours before milk or its substances dare be 
used, as the milk is liable to coagulate and irritate 
the stomach ; even vessels in which meats are pre- 
pared are prohibited to be used for milky substances, 
or vice versa. This is done for the purpose of 
strengthening the commands so that they will not 
allow themselves to consume meat and milk at the 
same time. They are also prohibited from eating 
njn jvn chait roet, wild beasts that do not chew the 
cud, or have the hoof parted, of the species of a 
bear, lion, tiger, etc., as such live almost exclusively 
upon animal food. This is reasonable, as they are 16 
liable to be infected by morbid poisons from the con- 
sumption of dead animals that might have died from 
hydrophobia or other raging diseases, such as are 
sometimes found among dogs, cats, rabbits, foxes, 
wolves, etc., for whatever disease originates sponta- 
neously in those animals is subject to be transmitted 
from one to the others; they are therefore dangerous 
as diet. Even njn nsiy cephet roet, wild fowls of 
the species of the crow, eagle, ostrich, owl, stork, 
bat, etc., are prohibited, as they consume dead 
animals. 
The meat the Jews consume from the beast or the 
fowl must be killed in a certain way, and with a cer- 
tain instrument, not according to the vulgar custom 
by striking on the head, by a rude knife, or in a 
coarse and violent way that would mangle or lacerate 
the body, which might produce instant inflammation 
and probably blood poison, thus making it unclean 
and unfit for anybody to consume. 
The killing of the beast as well as the fowl must be 
by bleeding through the jugular vein. Prior to the 
killing the animal must be well rested, and its respir- 
ation normal. There must be no broken limbs; their 
lungs must be blown up to the trachea and if it does 
not expand it is soaked in water twenty-four hours, 
when if it does not expand, the animal is unclean. 
The veins and arteries must be dissected from the 
animal; this is done for no other purpose but to 
ascertain whether there are deep-seated abscesses or 
not, (such abscesses being generally found about the 
arteries and veins) that would make the animal un- 
clean. The blood of all animals is prohibited as the 
consumption thereof is dangerous to human life, as 
all animals are subject more or less to scrofula or 
other blood diseases. According to ’Drs. Buchner, 
Kerner, Dunn, Horn, Shuman and others, poison has 
on poisons. 17 
developed in sausages made of blood and to which 
they have given the name of Allantotoxicum. 
Therefore the Jews do not eat meat, either of the 
beast or fowl, unless prior to eating it has been well 
soaked and salted. Their mode of preparing is first 
to soak it half an hour, then it is well rinsed olf with 
clean water, and salted on both sides, placed upon a 
board slanting, there to remain from twenty to thirty 
minutes, then again it must be rinsed three times before 
its use is proper. The prohibition of the use of 
*vtn chazir swine for food among the Jews is unnec- 
essary to dwell upon, as its effects are but too well 
known to the laymen as well as to the physician. Not 
only from the danger of trichinae but of all other dis- 
eases that the hog is inherent to. The hazard from 
the use thereof and its importation have of late years 
become national issues in all civilized governments. 
It should not only be an issue where it is to come 
from, but its use should be entirely eradicated. Moun- 
tains would sink down from the dead caused by the 
use of this miserable brute. Fish without scales and 
fins rwptypi T3JD 1*72 DJI dagim bala’ snapir wacash- 
cashet are also prohibited among the Jews. This 
stands to reason, as frightful poisons are found in 
many kinds of fish, not to say that all fish without 
scales and fins are poisonous, but all poisonous fish 
are without scales and therefore they must be dreaded. 
Naturalists have declared that fish live upon their kind, 
that is to say fish without scales live only upon such 
as have no scales, etc., so they are liable to be pois- 
oned from others. 
All sharatzim, creeping things, or reptiles or 
food containing the same is strongly prohibited and 
the use thereof is considered a great crime by the 
Jews. 
Water, vinegar, and other liquids suspected of for- 
eign bodies must be strained through a cloth. All 
vegetables subject to vermin, such as parsley, cara- 18 
way, lettuce, green onions, peas, mushrooms, berries, 
cherries, and all vegetables whatsoever must be picked 
and examined leaf by leaf, kernel by kernel, and grain 
by grain. 
All fruits such as apples, pears, cherries, citron, 
apricots, peaches, oranges, lemons, nuts, etc., that are 
decayed or mouldy, the use of is prohibited ; the seeds 
thereof are always considered as unfit for use. By 
this it can be seen the ancients have already feared 
the germ of disease. 
All wines such as *]dd p yayin mesech, drugged 
wines are interdicted, as such wines might influence 
or propagate gout or cause other afflictions. 
Even the manner in which food should be cooked 
and prepared is laid down, for example the Talmud 
asserts that an egg cooked in sand, as is done in hot 
climates, or laid beside a hot kettle, or wrapped in 
towels, is not proper food to be consumed, this may 
appear to us as senseless, but nevertheless it stands to 
reason that an egg cooked in the above described 
manner may become partly hatched. By this it 
can be seen that hatching eggs by artificial tempera- 
ture is not entirely a modern invention. 
One, and above all, of the hygienic laws of the 
Jews is the separation of women during their men- 
strual period mj fiiuhn halchot niddah the laws of 
menstruation. It is the duty of every husband at least 
two or three days prior to the expectation of that 
period to separate from his wife not only from the 
bed, but even the chamber they occupy if possible,or if 
any spots be visible upon her clothes, or she should 
inform him of it, he should at once sever from her 
and they must remain apart during all the period of 
her sickness and until six days thereafter, and during 
that time they are not allowed to eat out of one ves- 
sel, and it is advisable not to dine at the same table, 
nor in any way play or joke with each other. This 
last to prevent the awakening of passion. In six days 19 
after the period has ceased, she must test herself with 
a clean white cloth, if no red spots appear she must 
then go nipo mikvah, pool or nb'UtD tabilah, bathing. 
Bath houses for that purpose are generally erected by 
Jewish congregrations, but the wealthy people some- 
times have them erected in their residences. The 
bathing must be done by immersing so that every 
hair on top of her head is covered with water; her 
legs and arms must be spread in order to allow the 
water to surround all parts of the body. Gentlemen, 
I can not describe in less than a volume the laws and 
regulations of separation. 
The same laws as the above are applied to newly 
married women: After the first intercourse tjrotyn 
tashmish, they must make the separation and go 
through the same modus operandi as a menstruant. 
This to allow healing. 
They are also instructed how to visit the sick 
mp3 D,L?in bakur cholim, whom they shall visit, and in 
what diseases. Not only that, but even the clothes 
they wear are regulated, how they should be made 
and of what fabrics. The cloth must not be a mixture 
shatnez, of linen and wool ; this may appear 
very frivolous to us, but I say there are sanitary meas- 
ures even in this, as these two textures counteract each 
other, wool retains its temperature, is a non-conduc- 
tor of heat and keeps the body warm, while linen is 
a conductor of heat and cools the body. The cus- 
tom of burying their dead in linen, is done for no 
other purpose but to prevent infection, as wool is a 
retainer of contagious and infectious matter. Pas- 
teur’s experiments are but too fresh in our minds. I 
do not know whether he attributes the contagion of 
the sheep to the animal body itself or to the wool. 
I can not conceive that an animal interred for many 
years could still contain contagion, as the body would 
be entirely decomposed. But I do believe the wool 20 
might retain its infection for hundreds of years, es- 
pecially if buried in dry ground. 
In accordance with the above proofs it can be 
seen, as heretofore stated, that the laws of morals 
and health were with the Jews from their earliest his- 
tory. And those who are acquainted with the Tal- 
mud, which is based upon the fundamental principles 
of the Bible, know that there is not another religious 
sect or creed in the universe, with the exception of 
the Jews, and the Mohammedans, who have in their 
theology, hygiene and diet. It is an established fact 
that the Koran1 is taken from the Talmud, or the 
Mohammedans would not have it. 
One thing is certain; the Mosaic and Talmudic 
laws have accomplished more by their terrific fear of 
some unknown power that they inculcate than all the 
legislation of the civilized world with their rigid 
pains and penalties. 
Some say the works of Shakespeare were written 
200 years before their proper time. I have just as 
much reason to believe that the Talmud was written 
a thousand years ahead of its time. It appears to 
have every field of literature cultivated, and those 
pertaining to health to the utmost extent. 
You may ask, what have the Jews to show for their 
sanitary or hygienic measures? Gentlemen, I will 
say they have a superior claim to the respect of so- 
ciety. Statistics speak for them and show that they 
produce a vast amount less of venereal diseases than 
any of the civilized or uncivilized nations on the face 
of the earth. Above all, I believe that the sanitary 
mode of Jewish life has great tendency to cultivate 
the brain and mind. 
The Jewish race appears to produce a greater per 
cent, of great men (according to their numbers) in 
every branch of science and art than any other sect 
1 Geiger, Was hat Mahommed aus deni Judenthum genommen 21 
or creed on the earth. Who does not know the great 
composers and writers in music, Meyerbeer, Men- 
delssohn, Rubenstein and others? Not a word will I 
say about the stage, as the name of Rachel and 
others, is but too well-known. Not a whisper of 
the great thinkers and poets, Heine, Phillippsohn, 
Zunz and Auerbach, but we cannot afford to skip the 
names of Spinoza, Acosta and Moses Mendelssohn. 
As commercial men their superior is not known. 
As financiers they rule the world. There are, how- 
ever, very few who follow the profession of law, as 
they are generally debarred from practice in many of 
the European countries, but if permitted, they are 
not excelled in that profession. The American bar 
is proud of and honors the name of Judah P. Ben- 
jamin, of New Orleans, his attainments have made 
him a great man in the courts of England. 
I was astounded after various inquiries and corres- 
pondence with all the medical colleges of the world, 
which was done by me at great labor, that 67 per 
cent, of Jewish physicians maintain professorships in 
medical colleges ; 36 per cent, are medical authors. 
Medicine appears to be the favorite study, and as a 
rule, they always maintain a high standing. There 
have been many Jewish physicians in a professional 
capacity at the courts of famous kings. The cele- 
brated1 Maimonides was physician to King Salahed- 
din, of Egypt, already mentioned in the fore part of 
this paper. Rabbi Meir to the King of Castile; 
Zedekiad, physician to Louis the Pious of France, 
and Montalto to Queen Marie of Medicis. 
It was once decided by the fathers of the church 
that a Jew could not act as medical adviser to 
crowned heads, and yet Pope Boniface IX and Pope 
Julius III appointed Jews for their body physicians. 
2Of Francis I, it is related, while once seriously sick, 
1 Post-Biblical History, page 65. Sigmund Hecht. 
2 Post-Biblical History, page 66. Sigmund Hecht. 22 
he requested Charles V, Emperor of Germany, to 
send him a Jewish physician. The Emperor sent 
a convert, but Francis refused to accept his services, 
and said he had plenty of Christian physicians, he 
needed the services of a Jew. 
By the foregoing it can be seen that what I have 
asserted, to wit: that the Jewish hygiene cultivates 
the mind, has already been recognized as a fact by 
the highest authorities of church and crowned heads. 
In conclusion I will say it is high time for us to 
review the past history of that nation, and ascertain, 
while the nineteenth century still lingers, if it is not 
best for us to adopt some of their codes in life. Let 
us no longer berate a nation which was so brave and 
full of humility. Let us throw away the idle writings 
of priestcraft, through which we are deprived of writ- 
ing our scientific attainments with those of the 
ancient Jews, and dividing the responsibility of health 
and life. 
I may have accomplished little by these researches, 
but I have at least pointed out a subject in which 
science is deeply interested. As it has long been 
my desire to discourse with my honored colleagues, 
especially those with whom I feel connected by con- 
jugality of sentiment on the subject of Jewish hy- 
giene, I therefore trust that the Section of State 
Medicine of the American Medical Association will 
encourage at least some of these extraordinary meas- 
ures of health, which will, I am confident, tend to 
final good in all science, all principles, all feelings, 
and all actions. 
C. H. VON KLEIN, A.M., M.D., 
Dayton, Ohio.