Apparently but two forms of blindness were recognized : (1) that due to the prevalent ophthal- mia. It is a highly infectious disease, and is aggravated by sand, sun-glare, and dirt, so that it almost always leaves the organs damaged, and often renders them useless, causing opacity of the cornea or closure of the pupil; (2) that due to age: Eli at the age of 98 was blind, his eyes waxed dim (1S 3%). David’s eyes were ‘set’ at an earlier age (1 K 4%). Ahijah was blind from age (1K 14). Isaac was also blind (Gn 27?); and it is noted of Moses that in spite of his age his eye was not dim. Like other plagues, blind- ness was believed to be a visitation from God, and curable only by Him (Ex 4"). It incapacitated for the priesthood (Lv 2118); but by law com- passion for the blind was enacted (Lv 19"), and offences against them were accursed (Dt 27}%). The minor form of ophthalmia caused redness of the lids and loss of the eyelashes. Leah was thus ‘tender’ or weak-eyed (Gn 2917), Blindness from birth arises from ophthalmia neonatorum, which is often severe enough to cause permanent opacity of the cornea. Sometimes ophthalmia accom- fone malarial fever (Lv 26°). Smiting with
lindness as a punishment occurred in the case of Elymas (Ae 13"), This was only temporary, and may have been hypnotic. The Syrian soldiers seeking Elisha were also affected, probably in the same way (2 K 68), It was also probably sub- jugation to His overmastering power, that caused the inhibitior of the angry manifestations of the Nazarenes towards our Lord (Lk 4°).
Of the blind men cured by our Lord the cases of interest were (1) the man congenitally blind ess in vision was gradual (Mk 8”). Probably the latter also was blind from birth, and the intermediate stage was that before he had learned to interpret the new sensation, although, on the other hand, the use of the word ἀποκατεστάθη would seem to imply that he had at one time possessed sight which was restored to him. Cases are on record of men to whom sight was suddenly given by operation, being unable to understand visual appearances until verified by touch (see discussion of this in Locke’s Essay, ii. 9. 8). Our Lord in His miracles used different methods to restore sight, all of them inadequate without His divine power, but doubt- less suited to the condition of faith on the person healed; a word, a touch, anointing with saliva, with clay, or testing his faith by sending him to wash his eyes. Maimonides refers to the use of fasting spittle as an application to sore eyes, but ex rey forbids its use on the Sabbath.
The blindness of St. Paul (Ac 9%") was doubtless a temporary amaurosis, such as that which has been caused by injudiciously looking at the sun. The ‘scales’ which fell from his eyes were prob- ably not material, but vision was restored as if scales had fallen; the word used is ὡσεί, for which see p. 330%. It is not improbable that this left a weakness of eye, which may have been the ‘thorn in the flesh’ which rendered his bodily presence weak (see Gal 4°), Tobit’s blindness from the irritation of the sparrow’s dung (To 2") was cured by the gall of the fish caught by his son (11), Pliny recommends the bile of Callionymus Lyra as a cure for blindness (xxxii. 24). There is a reference to eye-salve in Rev 3%. Magical means for curing eye diseases are referred to in Rawlin- son, WAJii. 47. Many eye-washes are mentioned in Papyrus Ebers lv tt.
The povctical description of the failure of the
(Jn 9'), and (2) the man whose pre y
MEDICINE 33]
powers of nature in old age, in Ec 12, has beer commented upon by many authors, and the details are carefully reviewed by Sir J. R. Bennett (op. cit. p. 106). The Rabbins recognized 903 modes of death ; and, commenting on Ps 90, said that death at 70 is old age, at 80 is strength (Moed Katan 28. 1). On account of the impurity of a dead body, the older Jewish physicians did not make post-mortem examinations (Aboda Zara 29; Baba Bathra 155a), but at a later date these were permitted (see Willstidler in Adlg. Zeitung des Judenthums, viii. 568). Burial with or without the external spetation of antiseptics was -he common method.
The process of child-birth is mentioned in Scrip- ture: (a) in individual cases, (8) in legislative enactments, and (y) in metaphor. Leaving on one side the narrative of the birth of Eve (see Widrush Rabbah on Nu 14, where Adam is described as androgynous), there are details of a number of births, most of which are illustrations of the primal curse of Gn 815, Two of these are cases of twins (Gn 257% and 38%). The latter was a case of spontaneous evolution with perce! laceration, probably fatal to the mother (although a Rabbinic tradition in Zohar hadash says that she lived long after); Rachel’s was a case of fatal dystocia, prob- ably on account of some delicacy or unhealthi- ness of long standing (3135) ; and Phinehas’ wife was an example of premature labour (Jos. Ant. V. xi. 4), brought on by shock, and proving fatal (1 S 4%).