In the primitive ages of the world, diseases, in consequence
of the great simplicity in the mode of living, were but few in number.
At a subsequent period the number was increased by the accession of
diseases that had been previously unknown. Epidemics also, diseases
somewhat peculiar in their character, and still more fearful in their
consequences, soon made their appearance, some infesting one period of
life, and some another; some limiting their ravages to one country, and
some to another. Prosper Alpinus mentions the diseases which are
prevalent in Egypt, and in other countries in the same climate: they are
ophthalmies, leprosies, inflammations of the brain, pains in the joints,
the hernia, the stone in the reins and bladder, the phthisic, hectic,
pestilential and tertian fevers, weakness of the stomach, obstructions
in the liver, and the spleen. Of these diseases, ophthalmies,
pestilential fevers, and inflammations of the brain, are epidemics; the
others are of a different character. The leprosy prevails in Egypt, in
the southern part of Upper Asia, and in fact may be considered a disease
endemic in warm climates generally. Accordingly, it is not at all
surprising, if many of the Hebrews, when they left Egypt, were infected
with it; but the assertion of Manetho, that they were all thus infected,
and were in consequence of the infection, driven out by force, in which
he is precipitately and carelessly followed by Strabo, Tacitus, by
Justin Trogus, and others more recent, is a mere dream without any
foundation. The appearance of the disease externally is not always the
same. The spot is commonly small, and resembling in its appearance the
small red spot that would be the consequence of a puncture from a
needle, or the pustules of a ringworm. The spots for the most part make
their appearance very suddenly, especially if the infected person, at
the period when the disease shows itself externally, happens to be in
great fear, or to be moved with anger, Num. xii, 10; 2 Chron. xxvi, 19.
They commonly exhibit themselves in the first instance on the face,
about the nose and eyes; and gradually increase in size for a number of
years, till they become, as respects the extent of surface which they
embrace on the skin, as large as a pea or bean; they are then called
שאת. The white spot or pustule, בהרת, _morphea alba_, and also the dark
spot, ספחת, _morphea nigra_, are indications of the existence of the
real leprosy, Lev. xiii, 2, 39; xiv, 56. From these it is necessary to
distinguish the spot, which, whatever resemblance there may be in form,
is so different in its effects, called בהק, and also the harmless sort
of scab, which occurs under the word, מספחת, Lev. xiii, 6–8, 29. Moses,
in the thirteenth chapter of Leviticus, lays down very explicit rules
for the purpose of distinguishing between those spots which are proofs
of the actual existence of the leprosy, and those spots which are
harmless and result from some other cause. Those spots which are the
genuine effects and marks of the leprosy gradually dilate themselves,
till at length they cover the whole body. Not only the skin is subject
to a total destruction, but the body is affected in every part. The
pain, it is true, is not very great, but there is a great debility of
the system, and great uneasiness and grief, so much so, as almost to
drive the victim of the disease to self-destruction.
2. Moses acted the part of a wise legislator in making those laws which
have come down to us concerning the inspection and separation of leprous
persons. The object of these laws will appear peculiarly worthy, when it
is considered, that they were designed, not wantonly to fix the charge
of being a leper upon an innocent person, and thus to impose upon him
those restraints and inconveniences which the truth of such a charge
naturally implies, but to ascertain, in the fairest and most
satisfactory manner, and to separate those, and those only, who were
truly and really leprous. As this was the prominent object of his laws
that have come down to us on this subject, namely, to secure a fair and
impartial decision on a question of this kind, he has not mentioned
those signs of leprosy which admitted of no doubt, but those only which
might be the subject of contention; and left it to the priests, who also
fulfilled the office of physicians, to distinguish between the really
leprous, and those who had only the appearance of being such. We find
mention, in the rules laid down by Moses for the purpose of ascertaining
the true tokens of leprosy, of a cutaneous disorder which is denominated
by him _bohak_. The words of Moses, which may be found in Lev. xiii, 38,
39, are as follows: “If a man or woman have white spots on the skin, and
the priest see that the colour of these spots is faint and pale, it is,
in this case, the _bohak_ that has broken out on the skin, and they are
clean.” A person, accordingly, who was attacked with this disease, the
_bohak_, was not declared unclean; and the reason of it was, that it is
not only harmless in itself, but is free from that infectious and
hereditary character which belongs to the true leprosy. “The _bohak_”
says Mr. Niebuhr, “is neither infectious nor dangerous. A black boy at
Mocha, who was attacked with this sort of leprosy, had white spots here
and there on his body. It was said that the use of sulphur had for some
time been of service to this boy, but had not altogether removed the
disease.” He then adds the following extract from the papers of a Dr.
Foster: “May 15th, 1763, I myself saw a case of the _bohak_ in a Jew at
Mocha. The spots in this disease are of unequal size. They have no
shining appearance, nor are they perceptibly elevated above the skin;
and they do not change the colour of the hair. Their colour is an
obscure white or somewhat reddish. The rest of the skin of this patient
was blacker than that of the people of the country was in general, but
the spots were not so white as the skin of an European when not
sunburnt. The spots, in this species of leprosy, do not appear on the
hands, nor about the navel, but on the neck and face; not, however, on
that part of the head where the hair grows very thick. They gradually
spread, and continue sometimes only about two months; but in some cases,
indeed, as long as two years, and then disappear, by degrees, of
themselves. This disorder is neither infectious nor hereditary, nor does
it occasion any inconvenience.” “That all this,” remarks Michaëlis,
“should still be found exactly to hold at the distance of three thousand
five hundred years from the time of Moses, ought certainly to gain some
credit to his laws, even with those who will not allow them to be of
divine authority.” The pestilence, in its effects, is equally terrible
with the leprosy, and is much more rapid in its progress; for it
terminates the existence of those who are infected with it almost
immediately, and at the farthest within three or four days. The Gentiles
were in the habit of referring back the pestilence to the agency and
interference of that being, whatever it might be, whether idol or
spirit, whom they regarded as the divinity. The Hebrews, also, every
where attribute it to the agency either of God himself, or of that
legate or angel, whom they denominate מלאך.
3. The _palsy_ of the New Testament is a disease of very wide import.
Many infirmities, as Richter has demonstrated, were comprehended under
the word which is rendered _palsy_ in the New Testament. 1. The
apoplexy, a paralytic shock, which affected the whole body. 2. The
hemiplegy, which affects and paralyzes only one side of the body. 3. The
paraplegy, which paralyzes all the parts of the system below the neck.
4. The catalepsy, which is caused by a contraction of the muscles in the
whole or a part of the body, for example, in the hands, and is very
dangerous. The effects upon the parts seized are very violent and
deadly. For instance: when a person is struck with it, if his hand
happens to be extended, he is unable to draw it back. If the hand is not
extended when he is struck with the disease, he is unable to extend it:
it appears diminished in size, and dried up in appearance. Hence the
Hebrews were in the habit of calling it “a withered hand,” 1 Kings xiii,
4–6; Zech. xi, 17; Matt. xii, 10–13; John v, 3. 5. The cramp, in
oriental countries, is a fearful malady, and by no means unfrequent. It
originates from the chills of the night. The limbs, when seized with it,
remain immovable, sometimes turned in, and sometimes out, in the same
position as when they were first seized. The person afflicted resembles
those undergoing the torture βασανιζομένοι, and experiences nearly the
same exquisite sufferings. Death follows the disease in a few days,
Matt. viii, 6, 8; Luke vii, 2; 1 Macc. ix, 55–58.
of the great simplicity in the mode of living, were but few in number.
At a subsequent period the number was increased by the accession of
diseases that had been previously unknown. Epidemics also, diseases
somewhat peculiar in their character, and still more fearful in their
consequences, soon made their appearance, some infesting one period of
life, and some another; some limiting their ravages to one country, and
some to another. Prosper Alpinus mentions the diseases which are
prevalent in Egypt, and in other countries in the same climate: they are
ophthalmies, leprosies, inflammations of the brain, pains in the joints,
the hernia, the stone in the reins and bladder, the phthisic, hectic,
pestilential and tertian fevers, weakness of the stomach, obstructions
in the liver, and the spleen. Of these diseases, ophthalmies,
pestilential fevers, and inflammations of the brain, are epidemics; the
others are of a different character. The leprosy prevails in Egypt, in
the southern part of Upper Asia, and in fact may be considered a disease
endemic in warm climates generally. Accordingly, it is not at all
surprising, if many of the Hebrews, when they left Egypt, were infected
with it; but the assertion of Manetho, that they were all thus infected,
and were in consequence of the infection, driven out by force, in which
he is precipitately and carelessly followed by Strabo, Tacitus, by
Justin Trogus, and others more recent, is a mere dream without any
foundation. The appearance of the disease externally is not always the
same. The spot is commonly small, and resembling in its appearance the
small red spot that would be the consequence of a puncture from a
needle, or the pustules of a ringworm. The spots for the most part make
their appearance very suddenly, especially if the infected person, at
the period when the disease shows itself externally, happens to be in
great fear, or to be moved with anger, Num. xii, 10; 2 Chron. xxvi, 19.
They commonly exhibit themselves in the first instance on the face,
about the nose and eyes; and gradually increase in size for a number of
years, till they become, as respects the extent of surface which they
embrace on the skin, as large as a pea or bean; they are then called
שאת. The white spot or pustule, בהרת, _morphea alba_, and also the dark
spot, ספחת, _morphea nigra_, are indications of the existence of the
real leprosy, Lev. xiii, 2, 39; xiv, 56. From these it is necessary to
distinguish the spot, which, whatever resemblance there may be in form,
is so different in its effects, called בהק, and also the harmless sort
of scab, which occurs under the word, מספחת, Lev. xiii, 6–8, 29. Moses,
in the thirteenth chapter of Leviticus, lays down very explicit rules
for the purpose of distinguishing between those spots which are proofs
of the actual existence of the leprosy, and those spots which are
harmless and result from some other cause. Those spots which are the
genuine effects and marks of the leprosy gradually dilate themselves,
till at length they cover the whole body. Not only the skin is subject
to a total destruction, but the body is affected in every part. The
pain, it is true, is not very great, but there is a great debility of
the system, and great uneasiness and grief, so much so, as almost to
drive the victim of the disease to self-destruction.
2. Moses acted the part of a wise legislator in making those laws which
have come down to us concerning the inspection and separation of leprous
persons. The object of these laws will appear peculiarly worthy, when it
is considered, that they were designed, not wantonly to fix the charge
of being a leper upon an innocent person, and thus to impose upon him
those restraints and inconveniences which the truth of such a charge
naturally implies, but to ascertain, in the fairest and most
satisfactory manner, and to separate those, and those only, who were
truly and really leprous. As this was the prominent object of his laws
that have come down to us on this subject, namely, to secure a fair and
impartial decision on a question of this kind, he has not mentioned
those signs of leprosy which admitted of no doubt, but those only which
might be the subject of contention; and left it to the priests, who also
fulfilled the office of physicians, to distinguish between the really
leprous, and those who had only the appearance of being such. We find
mention, in the rules laid down by Moses for the purpose of ascertaining
the true tokens of leprosy, of a cutaneous disorder which is denominated
by him _bohak_. The words of Moses, which may be found in Lev. xiii, 38,
39, are as follows: “If a man or woman have white spots on the skin, and
the priest see that the colour of these spots is faint and pale, it is,
in this case, the _bohak_ that has broken out on the skin, and they are
clean.” A person, accordingly, who was attacked with this disease, the
_bohak_, was not declared unclean; and the reason of it was, that it is
not only harmless in itself, but is free from that infectious and
hereditary character which belongs to the true leprosy. “The _bohak_”
says Mr. Niebuhr, “is neither infectious nor dangerous. A black boy at
Mocha, who was attacked with this sort of leprosy, had white spots here
and there on his body. It was said that the use of sulphur had for some
time been of service to this boy, but had not altogether removed the
disease.” He then adds the following extract from the papers of a Dr.
Foster: “May 15th, 1763, I myself saw a case of the _bohak_ in a Jew at
Mocha. The spots in this disease are of unequal size. They have no
shining appearance, nor are they perceptibly elevated above the skin;
and they do not change the colour of the hair. Their colour is an
obscure white or somewhat reddish. The rest of the skin of this patient
was blacker than that of the people of the country was in general, but
the spots were not so white as the skin of an European when not
sunburnt. The spots, in this species of leprosy, do not appear on the
hands, nor about the navel, but on the neck and face; not, however, on
that part of the head where the hair grows very thick. They gradually
spread, and continue sometimes only about two months; but in some cases,
indeed, as long as two years, and then disappear, by degrees, of
themselves. This disorder is neither infectious nor hereditary, nor does
it occasion any inconvenience.” “That all this,” remarks Michaëlis,
“should still be found exactly to hold at the distance of three thousand
five hundred years from the time of Moses, ought certainly to gain some
credit to his laws, even with those who will not allow them to be of
divine authority.” The pestilence, in its effects, is equally terrible
with the leprosy, and is much more rapid in its progress; for it
terminates the existence of those who are infected with it almost
immediately, and at the farthest within three or four days. The Gentiles
were in the habit of referring back the pestilence to the agency and
interference of that being, whatever it might be, whether idol or
spirit, whom they regarded as the divinity. The Hebrews, also, every
where attribute it to the agency either of God himself, or of that
legate or angel, whom they denominate מלאך.
3. The _palsy_ of the New Testament is a disease of very wide import.
Many infirmities, as Richter has demonstrated, were comprehended under
the word which is rendered _palsy_ in the New Testament. 1. The
apoplexy, a paralytic shock, which affected the whole body. 2. The
hemiplegy, which affects and paralyzes only one side of the body. 3. The
paraplegy, which paralyzes all the parts of the system below the neck.
4. The catalepsy, which is caused by a contraction of the muscles in the
whole or a part of the body, for example, in the hands, and is very
dangerous. The effects upon the parts seized are very violent and
deadly. For instance: when a person is struck with it, if his hand
happens to be extended, he is unable to draw it back. If the hand is not
extended when he is struck with the disease, he is unable to extend it:
it appears diminished in size, and dried up in appearance. Hence the
Hebrews were in the habit of calling it “a withered hand,” 1 Kings xiii,
4–6; Zech. xi, 17; Matt. xii, 10–13; John v, 3. 5. The cramp, in
oriental countries, is a fearful malady, and by no means unfrequent. It
originates from the chills of the night. The limbs, when seized with it,
remain immovable, sometimes turned in, and sometimes out, in the same
position as when they were first seized. The person afflicted resembles
those undergoing the torture βασανιζομένοι, and experiences nearly the
same exquisite sufferings. Death follows the disease in a few days,
Matt. viii, 6, 8; Luke vii, 2; 1 Macc. ix, 55–58.