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A proctological recipe (1)

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05 Scientific knowledge and scholarly lore



05 Scientific knowledge and scholarly lore


Keywords
Jews
medicine
Period
No period specified
Channel
Jewish philosophers and scholars


Text
The medical recipe from Babylonian Talmud shows many similarities with Mesopotamian ones both in format and content.

Babylonian Talmud, Aboda Zara 28b:
For a split in the lower part of the anus, what to do? Let him (the healer) take the fat of a virgin goat and melt it, and pour it upon (the patient). If (that does) not (work), let him take three leaves of a gourd, which are dried in the shade, and let it be roasted and sprinkled upon (the patient) (var. let it be roasted, ground up, and wrapped upon him). If (that does) not (work), let him take snail shells (var. let him take snail shells and let it be roasted and left upon him). If (that does) not (work), let him take oil and wax and wrap (the patient) in a worn linen in summer and in cotton in winter.


Source (list of abbreviations) (source links will open in a new browser window)
Babylonian Talmud, Aboda Zara 28b

Bibliography

Geller 1991, 103-105Geller, Mark J. “Akkadian Medicine in the Babylonian Talmud.” In: D. Cohn-Sherbock (ed.). A Traditional Quest. Essays in honour of Louis Jacobs. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series 114. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press 1991, 102-112.

Amar Annus


URL for this entry: http://www.aakkl.helsinki.fi/melammu/database/gen_html/a0000569.php


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