Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-04
JEWISH IMMUNITY.
Why Jews arc Nof soouFged by Cholera Like
Gentiles-A Rabbi Tells the Secret.
Tsan Francisco Pest.

A our citizens to state wherein the adyantag
{ liesY"
i said the Rev. DR.. Aaron S. Bethlehem
rabbi of the aggregation Ohayai Shalome
who was found bard Mt work in the mids
OF his extensive library Of ancient tones
IL Glad to see that one secular newspape'
at least takes sufficient interest in our raet
TO seek its knowledge and accumulated ex
perience on humanitarian propositions
Let us start from the beginning OF this mat
' ter. Charity knows no creed; and conse-
, quently. II I speak what history aud be
licve 10 DC true. no offence intended
, 10 those who differ from Inc on reli-
| gious grounds. In the fourteenth CEN
tury. when the black plague was raging
in Europe, there was such remarkable
exemption OF deaths in the Jewish race that
they were actually accused OF poisoning the
wells and rivers 10 destroy the Christians.
This black plague was imported from China
by the Catholic missionaries and taken INTO
Portugal aud Spain, whence II spread. IN
fortunately in those days, IS in the present.
the Christians had the custom Of burying
the dead from their churches. and thus aid
ed in spreading contagion. Sickness
breeds sickness and death death. The
Jews seldom bury their dead from
their churches; and scarcely ever,
except when rabbi or teacher
OF a congregation dies, and never do
they so when person dies OF an infectious
or contagious disease. The last report re-
ceiycd in this city from Grand Rabbi VI.
Well. OF Marseilles, states that only seven
out Of a population OF 1000 Jews died,
whilst over 800 Of a Christian population
Of 10000 succumbed to the cholera. Now
for the practical causes Of the exemption OF
the Jews from the suierings and deaths OF
/ the Christians-and here let me say that
/ we are proud Of the name OF Jews to-
day. In the days OF Abraham we were
! Hebrews. and subsequently IsraeliteS. but
/ now that Weare scattered over the face the
earth, ard receive our rights at the hands
| Of our fellOW-citiZons. we are,proud ID be
! known as Jews Our FIRST law is ceanli-
ness. BY the Mosaic law each jew, male
or female. must OH Sabbath or q holiday
takea bath. and both men and women,
| even in their days Of latitude. adhere
Strictly to the Leyitca laws, not necessary
10 be publicly mentioned, in regard 10
cleanliness. II cleanliness is next TO god
liness,' then the Jews are certainly prac-
ticine their religion. No Jew can or should
take meal without washing his hands, nor
can he say an acceptable prayer without
thoroughly cleansing the visible parts OF ais
of Jewish health, let us now turn to her sis
ter companion. diet. In "a word, the dietary
laws Of our Bible are adhered to strictly Mt
home, if not elsewhere. A jew cannot
eat animal food without its having been
properly slaughtered-that IS. the throat
and jugular vein must be cut with sharp
knife TO allow the blood to flow freely from
the body of the animal. No meat over
three times twenty-four hours old can be
eaten. While Christians may enjoy the |
flavor OF long-hung, SouthdowH mutton,
'gamey' birds and tasteful yenisOn. we
regard them as being practically in a
process of decay, and consequently |
prohibited. Nor can we eat flesh with /
out well washing It with water, 10 |
prevent decay and TO purify it. After |
killing the animal with "a sharp knife, 10 |
make death rs painless as possible, the /
animal has to be opened and examined by |
the siaughterer, the shochet,' and the in /
lestines ana the inner parts closely scruti- |
nized. Ii any disease is visible, such a.
the pleuro-pneumOnia, now raging in some
portions OF the country, the animal Is de-
clared 10 be 'trcpha,' OF condemned as b.
ing unfit for food. This examination is
religious commandment, and is strictly OBJ
served. II the butcher Is pious jew, he
is trusted by his co religionists, and if not,
or the butcher he a Christian, the meat IS
marked with a seal hy the sh0chet,' AMI
on piece OF paper is written the date OF
Strengthening. This mode OF killing and
investigating The Intervals also extends
to fowls and birds Of all kinds. Turn
10 the eleventh chapter OF the book
OF LeyticuS. and there YOU will find the
flesh. ilsb, and fowl that is forbidden us 10
eat That is still our ruling guide, aud it,
orders are followed in all true Jewish
homes. A grand old law-giyer was Moses,
even If he did not invariably give his rea-
sons for bis decisions. The iact, however,
remains that no jew has yet been knOwnt0
suffer from trichiniasis and other diseases
which are derived from swine or hare.
Studying the chapter referred to carefully.
YOU VIII note that the food for man sclect-
ed i based still upon the ground Of clean
illness OF the creatures mentioned. Pro-
fessOr Hufelaud, in his renowned Ma
crobiotic. abiding TO the hygienic
laws, points out the fact that fish
fried in animal fat-nOt buttcr-cluses
often cruptions Of the skin, and this very
hygienic law-not 70 bake fish in lard etc.
is q law to-day in Judaism. To sum no our
dietary laws, Il may be said that the melt
must FIRST come from a healthy animal;
there must be no decay or sign OF decay, |
and even the freshest meat must be washed !
and sailed on all sides TO Kill any hidden
germs OF disease. Probably the meat
placed upon Jews table may not be rs
palatablc as that on Christians, but every
precautiOn is taken TO make II more whole.
some. Another point why Jews are not 40
liable to contagious diseases is that, as rule,
they are more temperate in the use of st,mu-
lants and intoxicating beverages than 9TH
ers. The iie-lnsurance companies all pre- {
Ter risks on Jewish lives. knowing from
long experience that the average Is for Jews
from thirty-SiX TO forty-two wears, whilst
with other nations 1t is only from twenty ,
live to thirty-two. Ii may be mentioned, ,
too, that the Jews have religious laws and
customs which forbid them to eat food e
mixed, milk, or butter. The hygenic or
ect Of this has not yet been ascertaned. :
but from the great wisdom displayed by ! !
Moses, there is probably some substantial /
reason for the law. The fact re- s
mains that in every progress made
II physiology and pathology. added
'irength has been given TO the biblical !
avs AS practiced by us. Turn to the
wenty'third chapter OF Deuteronomy, aud, =
although 1t is not pleasant subject to dis V
iuss, you will find thst Z, 800 years ago it q
vss announced that earth was the best dis
nfectant for camp purposes. The Ger :
mans, as admitted by General Malcolm, =,
ecognlze this. and, consequently. have the Il
iealthiest armies Of the world. Take.
gain, the circulation OF the blood. Har. .
ey but repeated the biblical word
hat life Is blood The jew, couse. =
uently,is forbidden by his laws 10 con- !.
umc the blood OF warm-blooded anil
mails. Another hygiene point may be -
le consumption OF Passover bread, 7
'bich, IN the old country. is eaten after !
iany weeks OF confinement IN the
ouse. The blood has become highly 81
Gated, and the unleavened bread acting p
lediclnally, reduces IL 70 its normal condi. C
on. And there is tilanother point which
as an important bearing upon the Jewish 7
eaith. You mag not feel inclined to be. i
eve II. but il Is Il fact, nevertheless. The A
ews. as whole, are not wealthy people. p,
NJ they always provide for their deserving &C
DOT food and clothing are always ready o.
r them. This compels Judgment, econo- "
Z, and consequently health. In contrast Al