Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-03
Judaism and Hygiene.

1t Is stated that the Jews i'm T0ulOn and
Marseilles have scarcely been affected by
/ The cholera. The Jewish Journals attrib-
ute this immunity to the dietary aud hygi-
| eniC laws OF Judaism. and this claim is un-
qucstionably justified by fact and expert
| cnce. For history shows that in all cpl
| denies the Jews have suffered far less than
/ their neighbOrS, and when their dietary
| laws are cgrofuliy studied the reason OF this
exemption becomes apparent In the last
issue OF the F0rtRighhV ReUie,9 a some
what remarkable article by Lucen Wolf.
entitled "What is Judaism "A Question
Of To-pGy," discusses the status OF the
jew in the modern world. and while ms
kipg for him some claims which Chrsteu-
dom will certainly be slow to admit. delb-
eTaiely aScrihcs the material success OF Jul
daism. md the sustained yigOr OF the race,
10 rosolute maintenance Of the Mosaic law.
That Observance OF this law re pCcting diet
does give immunity from many, and eSpe-
cially zymotic, diseases is abundantly
proved. Thus Or. Bchrend says: IL lam N.Y.
self decidedly Of opinion that the care be-
slowed upon the examination of ncatfor
use Of tie Jewish community is m M
Toriant iactcr IN the longevity OF the race
which is at present attracting SO much at
teniicn, and in its comparative immunity
from scrolula and tubercle." 80 also Or.
Carpenter has said coincidence 10 the
sanitary laws laid down by Moses is ne
cessaTy condition to perfect health. and to
a state which shall give Us power 20 stamp
out Zym0iic diseases. II these laws were
ohserI cd by all classes, the zymotic DEATH
rate would not be an appreciable quantity
in our mortality list"
The vigOr, physical and mental. OF the
Jews, their longevity, and their persist
ence and prosperity. are no doubt largely
due TO the hereditary observance Of hygie-
mic and dietary rules, the purpose and ei-
feet OF which is TO prevent oil blOod-poi-
soning and the transmission OF disease
through food to cultivate habits OF per.
sonal cleanliness; and TO establish such
sexual relations that the coming generation
shall have the most favorable conditions
for development. These laws, for the most
part rlgidil adhered To during thousands
OF years, have produced superior vi
taliiy in the present specimens OF
the most persistent culture, and medical
and sanitary science confirms the wisdom
Of the laws, aud can do no better than to
recommend them to-day 10 the acceptance
oil the modern world. IL is indeed not n
little singular that Christianity, In taking
from Judaism its highest spiritual concep-
ton, should so have sighted the
wonderful body OF hycienic science
which the Mosaic law embodies. The
explanation, however, probably is that
Christianity undertook to deal with
matters supernatural, while Judaism,
whether ancient or modern. Is con-
cerned only with mundane affairs. As
Lucien Wolf admits. Judaism IL really a /
sort OF Positivism. It's aim Is the attain |
ment OF happiness in this world, whereas !
Christianity deals with happiness IN the |
world 70 come. But precisely because /
Judaism practically agrees with Herbert |
Spencer In RELOCATING supramundsne |
speculstions 10 the realm OF the unknow-
abe, Tue intensity Of its worldly psiloso-
ply is the greater.
The wisdom and energy OF the Jews. in
fact, have been centered for years upon the
reinforcement and protection OF their ma.
turai forces. And thus il is that they an
tlcipaied the ripper results OF modern sani-
iaiy science while still the Hanging Gar
dens OF Babylon were worlds wonder,
ana While from The Temple OF Belus
Chaldean priests charted the heavens
ana calculated the OCCUPATIONS OF the
Stars. This Mosaic law, so de-
tpned OF the Gentiles, has given
=" wy hVpien tacc tuat tOuXnnes3 Which |
has brought 1t safely, again aud again,
through prosecutions that must have rooted
out weaker people; and to-day, when
Ihe foremost sayants OF the nineteenth |
century are painfully searching out the
genesis OF disease and laboriously deyisiny
'elnedies, the Immunity OF the Jews In the
midst Of pestilence once more indicates the
eason OF their survival. and emphasizes
he triumph OF their sanitary system. No
Their race has been willing TO accept such a
iscipl'ne, and no other race, therefore, ex.
ibiis similar vitality and exemption from !
pidemio disease. Modern teachers OF nv.
ieDe insist always upon the observance Of
stem Ia these matters, and they have rea-
N; for the Hebrew race Is pregnant ex-
aple OF the power OF hygienic aud dietary
VS. applied with underwriting rIgor
om generation TO generation. Nese York
rituslf