The suburban citizen., 1902-08-09
SANITARY CODEOF MOSES
RULES LAID DOWN BY HIM ARE
FOLLOWED TO-DAY.

rules, regulations and exercises which
are followed at the present day by all
civilized and semi-ciyilized nations.
Some 1900 years before the Christian
era. the code contained in the Mosaic
Exodus laid down restrictions on every
possible act that mankind may per-
form to impair OF impede existence.
Such as they are, it is hardly possible
to improve upon them at this enlight-
ened day Moses instructed his people
that those sanitary commands were in
spired by a Supreme Being, that the
only health officer in existence was the
Almighty, who could watch over their
trespasses against the law. No matter
where they might be, or what they
might do, the Supreme Overseer would
bring them to justice for the violation
of the code of health.
1t was handed down to the Israelites
in an oral way for about one thousand
years, when it became corrupt and
neglected, like other laws of long stand
ing when there is no one to enforce
them.
About six centuries before the Christ
ian era the great Sanhedrim was
formed; it consisted of seventy-two
men, who compiled the oral law to
written law, adding to it, besides the
moral, every possible sanitary regula-
ton that may benefit human health
and life. This tribunal enacted laws
to improve every possible means of
securing healthy food, clothing and
shelter, and established minor judi
ciary courts in every possible commun-
ity, and gave these courts the right to
bring before themselves any one who
violated the sanitary measures. The
laws of the Sanhedrim were enforced
and well kept for hundreds of years,
during the time that Judea could es-
tablish and enforce its own laws, but
when it fell under the sovereignty of
the Romans, they were unable to en-
force the laws with Roman influence:
consequently, they were kept only by
the pious Jews.
The infdels could not be compelled
to keep the commands under the Ro-
man law Hence the pious Jews of
the sixth century appealed to the Ro-
man Emperor Justinian, under whose
reign a code was compiled by sixteen
eminent jurists, establishing laws for
all Roman States, and quoting deci-
sions mostly from the Jewish Talmud,
including many moral and sanitary
measures which is now termed the
Justinan Law Besides adopting many
of the Talmudic laws, which did not
differ from the Mosaic, they added
many practical and sanitary regula-
tions. II is to the. Justinian Law that
our present civilization is indebted for
the adjustment of polygamy 1t is to
the laws Of Justinian that we are III
debted for the prohibition of the mar
riage consanguinity. The combination
of Mosaic, Talmudic and Justinian
laws forms a fair code for the pre-.
servation of human life. The Bible
itself is one OF the very best text books
on hygiene that has ever been written.
He who strictly follows its teachings
will be a perfect sanitarian. 1--WE
must learn" says distinguished
writer "to regard physical as well as
moral sins as greatly displeasng in
the sight of God"
Jewish hygiene and diet are well
known for their regulation TO healthy
food, for the Jews are restricted TO
certain fish Of the waters and certain
beasts Of the field. 1t is from the
Mosaic Law that we have learned to
legislate against unwholesome food,
especially Of animal food. Every one
Of us knows with what care the Jews
kill their cattle and their fowl, and
with what care the autopsies are made
on the anlmals before they are declared
at for use
The sanitary laws Of Moses provided
for the segregation OF lepers and the
fumigation and destruction of infected
clothing. These had great influence
on Christian nations when contagion
was recognized as epidemics, and
probably most Of them were, from
the standpoint Of to-day, either directly
vi lilhllNNNlg lllIVNNlounf dhNi SIubll
advance in preservative methods be.
came possible, All European nations
enforced laws for limiting the spread
Of leprosy and these. which have been
handed down from ancient times, had
merely to be modified in their applica-
tion in order TO exercise controlling
influence on the spread of fulminan;
febrile diseases.
Before and after the beginning of
the Christian era plaques. pestilencas
and famines were classed together as
Of divine origin, The Greeks and Ro-
mans, from the evidence Of their au-
thors, resorted to forms and ceremonies
to avert epidemics. Statues We're erect
ed to Aesculapius and Apollo; Sibylline
books were consulted, nails were driven
into the walls Of the Temple Of Jupiter
Captolinus and the Lectisterne cere.
monies were among the remedies mp
piled to epldemics before the time of
Christ. Later festivals, MORNINGS
and founding of religious structures
were resorted to in order to appease