HISTORICAL TABLE OF THE MATERIA MEDICA.

XXXI

B.C.

14911491

1063884713600

A. I>.

•40

HEBREW MEDICINE.

" he infliction and eure of diseases on various occasions ascribed by the Sacred Histo-

rinn to thedirect interposition of God. (Exod. ix. 15. Numb. xii. 10.)Ivemedial agents consisled principally in strict hygienic means. (Cireumcision, diet-

etical rules, Separation, ablution, combustion of infected garments. (See Gen.

xvii. 10; Lev. xl & xiii.; 2 Kings, v.)Medicine practised by the priests. (Lev. xiv.) Gold, silver, lead, tin, iron, and brass

(copper?) mentioned by Moses.Odoriferous ointment and confection: the most ancient reeipeson record. (Ecoö'.xxx.

23-25, & 34, 35.)" Thero are named in the Pentateuoh about 20 minerals, 10 vegetables and animals"

(Aiston).Music employed as a remedy. (2 Sam. xvi. 16.)»esquisulphuret of antimony used as a face paint. (2 Kings, ix. 30.)* ig poultice. [2 Kings, xx. 7.)1 nysicians (not priests) referred to. (Jerem. viii. 22.) N. B. The so-called Egyptian

physicians (Genes. 1. 2) were probably hTaipiaarai, undertakers, or embalmers.lhefollowing substances are referred to in the Bible : the Olive, Saffron, Barley,

Wheat, the Fig, the Vine, Myrrh, Bdellium, Galbanum, Cumin, Coriander, Flax,

Garlic, Balm of Gilead, Olibanum (Frankincense), Cassia.Cinnamon, the Almond,

the Pomegranate, Dill (in our translation incorrectly called Anise)—Colocynth ?

Kicinus?Herod was let down into a bath of oil. (Josephus, Bell. Jud. lib. I. cap. 33, $ 5.)Uli and wme applied to wounds. (Luke, x. 34.)Various superstitious practices. (Adam Clarke Comm. Note to Mark, v. 26.)

For further Information respecting Hebrew medicine consult the " Bible;"—J. H. HoRne'sIntrod. to theCrit. Study and Knowl. of the Holy Script." vol. iii. 8th ed. 1839;— Laü-tenschlager, " Dissert. de medicis veterum Ilebraorum, eorumque methodo sanandi,"jH?. _3-!7S6;—K. Sprengel, " Analecta Historie» ad Mediciuam Ebraorunj," Hai.B -, Carcassone, " Essai Historique sur la Med. des Hebreux,anciens et modernes."eyo. Montp. 1815.—A " Flora Biblica" is contained in Sprengel's '• Historia Rei Herba-riae," t. l. Amstel. 1807.

B. C. ASSYRIANS.

The Babylonjans had no professors of medicine. They exposed their sick in publicplaces, in order that passengers might communicate their experience as to thebest mode of eure (Herodotus, Clio xcvii.) Extracted oil frorn the Sesamum.(Ibid. cxvüi).

Consult,— Smoij, (O. G.), " Venerandre antiquitatis Assyriomm Chaldreorum, &c. Philoso-phorum Medicorum Regum et Principum philosophicaet med. Principia." 4to. Lubec, 1609.

A.D.

229

CHINESE MEDICINE.

Of its ancient State but little is known. The Chinese pretend that its study was co-eval with the foundation of their empire, and that their medical code was theproduetion of Hoangti, B. C. 2000. (Grosier.) Before the Christian era there wasa constant communication between China and India. (Asiat Journ. July, 1836.)

Medical science commenced with Chang-ka; for all works before that (said to bedated B. C. 1105 & 189) treat of medicine, without giving prescriptions. (Trans,of Med. Soc. of Calc. i. 146.) As the Chinese have retained their ancient mannersand customs, we must judge of what their medicine was by what it is.

Pun-tsaou (or Herbai), the most considerable Chinese work on Materia Medica, in-cludes minerals, vegetables, and animals. (Davies. ii. 278.) [A copy in the BritishMuseum.]

Ching che chun ching (Approved marked line of Medical Practice.) a celebrated workin 40 vols.; of which, eight are devoted to Luyfang (Pharmacology). The arti-cles of the Materia Medica are very numerous. Ginseng is their panacea. Aro-matics and gums in apoplectie cases. Opium as an anodyne and in dysentery.Mercury both raw and oxidized. Musk, rhubarb, tea, camphor of the Dryobala-nops, asafostida, spices, larvie of the silk-worm, bones of tigers and elephants,vegetable wax, horns, fins, &c. Moxa. Croton Tiglium.

Consult,—Du Halde, (J. B.), " Descript. Geogr. et Mist, de la China," t. 3, p. 318, 1770; Gro-sier (L'Abbe), " Descript. Gen. de la China," t. ii. p. 466, 1817; Davies (F. J.), " TheChinese," vol. 2, p. 278; Gutzlaff, "Journ. of the Asiat. Soc," vol. iv. p.154.