New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-31
.1rnALSM IND HYGIENE.

JUDAISM AND HYGIENE.
II is stated that the Jews in Ioulon ana Mar
settles have scarcely been affected by the chol-
era. The Jewish journals attribute this lnmu-
nity TO the dietary and hygienic laws OF
.Judaism. and this claim is unquestl0naDiy
justified by fact and experience. For history
shows that in all cpdemcs the Jews have sui
fcrrcd far less than their ncighbOrs, and when
tbo,r dietary laws are carefully studied the
reason of this exemption becomes apparent.
In the last issue of The forthghty herieo II
somewhat remarkable article by Luclen VOL
entitled "What is Judaism n question OF
To-day" discusses the status OF the jew IN the
modern world, and while making for him some
claims which ChrstendOm will certainly be
slow to admit, deliberately ascrlbcs the mate
rial succcss of Judaism, and the sustained
yigor of the race, to resOlute maintenance Oh
the Mosaic law. That observance OF TINS law
respcctng diet does give immunlty from many
and cspccially zymotic diseases Is aDundantIy
nrovcd. Thus DR.. Bchrcnd says: am my
self decidedly of opinion that the care be-
" stowod upon the examination of meat for the
"use of the Jewish community is an important
"foctor in the longevity of the race which is ut
{" IFS comparative immunity from scroiula and
"ubcrcc.n so also Dr. Carpenter has SAID :
coincidence to the sanitary laws laid down by
Moses il necessary condition to perfect
"hcalth. and To n state which shall gave IA
"power 10 stamp out zymotc Diseases IL
" those laws were observed by all classes, tho
"yymotic death rate would not be an apprccia-
"blc quantity in our mortality list
The yigor, physical and mental, of the Jews,
their longevity, and their persistence and pros
pcrity are no doubt largely due To the hcrcdi-
tory Observance of hyCicnic and dietary rules,
fine purposc and effect of which is to prevent
all blood poisoning and the transmission oil dls-
case through food to cultivate habits ol per
souaI cleanliness; and to establish such sexual
relations that the coming generation shall nave
tbo most favorable conditions for development.
These laws. for !hc most part rigidly adhered
to during thousand, of years, have produced Il
superior vitality in the present specimens OF
the most persistent culture, and medical ana
sanitary science confirms the wisdom of the
laws and can do no better than To recommend
them to-day TO the acceptance OF the modern
world. II is indeed not a little singular that
Christianity. i'm taking from Judaism is high
est spiritual conception, should 80 have sighted
the wonderful body of hyeionic science which
the Mosaic law cmbodcs. The explanation
however, probably Is that Christianity under
tool, to deal with matters supernatural, Whiie
Judaism. whether ancient or modern, Is con-
ccrncd only with mundane affairs. A. Lucien
Wolf admits, Judaism is really sort OF Posi-
tiyism. II, aim is the attainment OF happiness
in this world. whereas Christianity deals with
happiness i'm the world to come. Bat precisely
because Judaism practically agrees with Herbert
Spencer in RELOCATING >upramundmc spccula-
lions e. the realm of the uuhnOwablc the m
tcu~ity of its worldly philosophy is the greater
The wisdom and energy of the Jews, in fact
have been centred forycars upon the reinforce
mcnt and protection of all their natural forces.
And thus it is that they anticipated the ripper
results of modern sanitary science while still
the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were worlds
wonder. and while from the Temple OF BcIus
Chaldcau priests chartcd the heavens and cal
culatcd the occultations of the stars. lhls Mo-
sale law. so despiscd of the Gcntiles, has given
to the Hebrew race that t0ughness which has
brought it safely, again and again, through
prosecutions that must have rooted out
weaker people and to-day, when the foremost
saVants OF the nineteenth century are painfully
searching out the genesis OF disease and labor
lously dcvising remedies, the immunity OF the
Jews in the midst of pestilencc once more indi-
Gates the reason OF their survival, and empha-
sizes the triumph of their sanitary system. No
other race has been willing to accept such
discipline, and no other race therefore, exhibits
similar vitality and exemption from epidemic
disease. Modern teachers of hygiene insist
always upon the observance Of system in these
matters, and they have reason; for the Hebrew
race is pregnant example of the power Of by
gicnic and dietary laws applied with unintcr-
hitting rgOr from generation to generation