5j??^.^/vf ^""^ Healinff Art ^HE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
of this, and, as the event is not historical, to seek for the true medical definition of this malady is superfluous.
The only case of disease of the abdominal organs mentioned is that of Joram (II Chron. xxi. 15, IS sqq.). His malady is explained by the medical authorities as diarrhea, or as a
1 1 . Diseases rupture of the intestines with its variof the Ab- ous complications. The account in
domen, the Old Testament is much too gen- Bones, and eralized as to details for the formation Eyes. of any positive opinion in the case.
Caries (Heb. rakahli) is often mentioned, but only as a symbol of destruction (Prov. xii. 4; Hos. v. 12; Hab. iii. 16). Rickets is, according to present medical science, the chief predisposing cause of spinal curvature and is assumed in every case of hunchback, except such as result from spinal disease caused by a tuberculous condition. Gout may have been the disease of some of the paralytics of the New Testament. The illness of Asa (I Kings xv. 23; II Chron. xvi. 12) is also explained as gout, and great age and the duration of his Ulness make this seem probable; the details, however, are so indefinite that nothing more than a conjecture may be hazarded. The commonness of blindness in the East has already been noticed. The causes are the lack of cleanliness, the prevailing dust, the intense brightness of the sunlight, the flies and other insects, and the failure to treat properly the eyes when disease has once developed. The law takes the blind under its special protection (Lev. xix. 14; Deut. xxvii. 18), although they were excluded from the priesthood (Lev. xxi. 18). There is frequent mention of miraculous infliction and removal of blindness (Gen. xix. 11; 11 Kings vi. 18-19; Zech. xii. 4, etc.). Cure by medical treatment was regarded as impossible; and as the healing of Tobit (Tob. ii. 10, xi. 2 sqq.) is given as a miracle, it is unnecessary to discuss the curative properties of gall.
A great number of Hebrew words designate a disease by the " burning " which accompanies it (kaddahath, Lev. xxvi. 16; dalleketh, Deut. xxviii. 22; harhur, Deut. xxviii. 22; resheph, Deut. xxxii. 24). It can not be determined whether these names refer to as many different kinds of
12. Fevers fevers; in any case, climatic fevers are and Sun- included among them. It is as dif-
stroke. ficult to determine the character of the " great fever " of Peter's motherin-law (Luke iv. 38) and the fever of the nobleman's son, John iv. 46. According to Josephus {Ant., XIII. XV. 5) , Alexander Janna;us suffered for three years from intermittent fever. The " consumption " mentioned in connection with fevers {Hliohcpheth, Lev. xxvi. 16; Deut. xxviii. 22) signifies great debility and emaciation. Sunstroke (jnakkath shem(Kh) is often mentioned (11 Kings iv. 10; Ps. cxxi. 6; .Jonah iv. 8; Judith viii. 3), and is even to-day much dreaded in the plains of the Jordan. It is flifficult to discriminat(i in individual cases between genuine sunstroke and heat- I)rostration caused by the overheating of the Ixjdy.
I. Benzincjior.
BiBLioaRAPHY: The literature of the subject is given in W Ebstein (see below); A. Pauly, Bibliographie des sciences medicales, Paris, 1874; and J. Pagel, Historischmedizinische Bibliographie, Berlin, 1898. Consult: J. R. Bennett, The Diseases of the Bible, London, 1887; T. Shapter, Medica sacra; or a Short Exposition of the More Important Diseases Mentioned in the Sacred Writings, ib. 1834; J. P. Trusen, Darstellung der biblischen Krankheiten, Posen, 1843; J. B. Friedreich, Zur Bibel: naturhistorische, anthropologische und medizinische Fragmente, 2 vols., Nuremberg, 1848; G. Bottger, Die Arzneikunst bei den alten Hebraern, Dresden, 1853; J. D. Tholozan, Une epidemic de peste en Mesopotamie en 1867, Paris, 1869; idem. Hist, de la peste bubonique en Mesopotamie, ib. 1874; idem. Hist, de la peste bubonique au Caucase, en Armenie et en Anatolie, ib. 1876; idem. La Peste en Turquie, ib. 1880; L. Kotelmann, Die Geburtshilfe bei den alten Hebraern, Marburg, 1876; Oppler, in Deutsches Archiv fiir die Geschichte der Medizin, 1881, pp. 62 sqq.; H. Ploss, Das W eib in der Natur- und V olkerkunde, Leipsic, 1885; C. C. Bombaugh, The Plagues and Pestilences of the Old Testament, in Johns Hopkins Hospital Bulletin, iv (1893), 64 sqq.; J. Preuss, in Virchow's Archiv, exxxviii (1894), 261 sqq.; idem, in Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift, 1898, pp. 570 sqq.; U. Passigli, Un' antica pagina d'igiene alimentare, Florence, 1897; idem, L' Allattamento; saggio di pediatria biblica, Bologna, 1898; idem. La Prostituzione e le psicopatie sessuali presso gli Ebrei all' epoca biblica, Milan, 1898; idem, Le Cognizioni ostetrico-ginecologiche degli antichi Ebrei, Bologna, 1898; W Ebstein, Die Medizin im A. T., Stuttgart, 1901; idem. Die Medizin im N. T. und im Talmud, ib. 1903; DB, iii. 321-333; EB, i. 595-597, 1104-06, iii. 2833-34, 3005-09, 3676- 3677. Interesting side-lights are cast by Mary Hamilton, Incubation or the Cure of Disease in Pagan Temples and Christian Churches, London, 1906.
DISIBOD, SAINT : Founder of the monastery of Disibodenberg, in the diocese of Mainz, in Bavaria, near the border of Rhenish Prussia (10 m. s.w. of Kreuznach). All that is certainly known concerning him is that he was an Irishman; he died most probably in 674. His " life " by the Abbess Hildegarde of Bingen (d. 1179) is too rhapsodical and fantastic to be considered a historical document. It states that when he was a young man at home " great scandals " prevailed in Ireland; some rejected Christianity, others adopted heresies or Judaism; some relapsed into paganism, others desired to live " like beasts, rather than men." For many years Disibod struggled against these evils; at last, tiring of the thankless toil, he left home, and, after long wanderings, with a few companions settled on the hill by the Glan in Alemannia; when he had learned the language he preached to the people, and he lived there for thirty years in high esteem. The monastery was abandoned and the church in ruins when Willigis became archbishop of Mainz in 975. He renewed the foundation as a canonry, and Archbishop Ruthard brought back the monks in 1108. In 1259 the monastery passed under the control of the Cistercians. In 1559 it was finally abandoned. Extensive ruins still mark the site.
Bibliography: ASB, July, ii. 581-599, and MPL, cxcvii. Consult: Lan igan, BccZ. Hist., iii. 113-115; Falk, in Der KathoUk, Ix (1880), i. 541-547. For the monastery consult: F. X. Remhng, Geschichte der Abteien und Kloster in Rheinhayern, i. 14-51, Neustadt, 1836; Rettberg KD i. 587-589.
DISPENSATION: In the practise of the Roman Catholic Church the suspension in a particular case of a rule of the canon law, or the exemption from the consequences usually following the transgression
RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Sj?^«;St8 and the Healing Ai,
of an established rule. As early as the fifth century the bishops of Rome assumed the right of deviating from the decrees formulated by the ecumenical councils where such departures involved a mere abandonment of detail without injury to the essence of canonical prescription, or were found necessary for the preservation of the spirit of the law. Similar powers were exercised by the provincial synods and bishops; but from the middle of the eleventh century the reference of applications for exemption (q.v.) to the bishop of Rome became general, and once the supreme legislative power of the pope had been established the highest power of dispensation was deduced therefrom. In theory the exercise of this function was justified only by the welfare or necessities of the Church, but in practise the papal discretion became absolute. After the fourteenth century the practise became a source of papal revenue; for though theoretically the grant of exemption was not purchasable, yet the charges connected with the administration of this department fell upon the applicant and were made heavy for the express purpose of discouraging frequent recourse to this mode of evading the law. The Council of Trent confirmed the pope in possession of his absolute power, unlimited even by the decrees of a general council, and sanctioned the exercise of the dispensatory power by others than the pope, but only in cases of extreme necessity or where the aim is some benefit for the Church admitting of no delay.
Upon the principle that the power of dispensation follows from that of legislation, the pope alone may grant exemption from a universal law or a law of limited application emanating from the pope or a general council. Dispensations in foro externa are issued through the office of the Dataria, and those in foro interna by the Pcmitentiaria ; the former requiring in every case the papal decision, the latter only in certain exceptional cases. The formal modes of granting dispensation are in forma commissaria, whereby a mandate is addressed to the territorial bishop authorizing him after due investigation to act in the name of the pope ; or in forma gratiosa, wherein the act of concession is addressed directly to the petitioner, a favor extended, however, only in such exceptional cases as that of sovereigns or bishops. The acceptance of the grant of dispensation by the petitioner is not necessary to render it efficacious.
The independent exercise of the power by the bishops is restricted to cases specified in the Carpus juris and established by the Council of Trent, outside of which the papal authorization is necessary. Such authorization (facultates ; see Faculties) is conferred for a regular number of years and within a prescribed sphere of action. The doctrine that' bishops may make use of the power of dispensation in emergencies where communication with Rome is impossible or hazardous finds its sanction in a constructive papal authorization. Bishops and provincial and diocesan synods possess the independent power of dispensation in the matter of rules and regulations of local validity; here too, however, the papal authority may intervene.
(P. HiNacHiust-)
III.— 29
Bibliography: M. A. Stiegler, in Archiv fur katholischei Kirchenrecht, Mainz, 1897-98; H. Brandhuber von Etschfeld, Ueber Dispensation und Dispensationsrecht, Vienna, 1888; E. Friedberg, Das geltende Verfassungsrecht der evangelischen Landeskirchen, Leipsic, 1888. Consult also J. H. Blunt, Dictionary of Doctrinal and Historical Theology, pp. 205-206, London. 1870.