Womb as Paradise Lost

Womb as Paradise Lost – Foetal Programming
Thetic Part 2 – Prolegomena
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historian would directly have positioned the Jewish doctor in his cultural-ethical
context, the connectedness to the Creating Instance as the source of nature and
well-being, on which the Jewish doctor bases his position and practice.
Spinoza gives us insight in the link between Creating Instance (Nature) and physician
and culture (Nurture). 116
Lysons continues with an important statement: “Even though biblical information
about medicine is relatively limited, a rich collection of medical knowledge is to
be found in the later Talmud, the authoritative collection of Jewish traditions.” 117
In his discussion of the Talmud too, Lysons mentions the relationship to other
traditions. “Even though the medical scriptures of the Talmud witness a remarkable
insight and observation, they are a reflection of both the notions and methods
of the diverse peoples living around the Jews over the centuries, and their own
biblical heritage. In that way, Talmudists based themselves on the body-fluid theory
of the Greek ... mucus, blood, yellow bile and black bile. They joined the
Greek philosophers in the specification of the four elements of the universe:
earth, fire, air and water”. 118
Alexandria played a prominent role in the development of Jewish medicine. Because
Alexandria was the centre of Greek science, it is only logical that Jewish
developments too carried the traces of it. Jewish physicians received lessons in
anatomy, physiology, dietetics, massage and pharmacology. “Though dead bodies
were cultic impure and had to be avoided as such, Jews apparently performed
dissections occasionally ...”. 119
Most anatomical information in the Talmud came from Alexandrian studies. Regarding
surgery, the Talmud discussed the healing of dislocations and the treat-
116 Spinoza speaks about G’d as Deus sive Natura, without bogging down in pantheism. The divine character of nature
makes it much more powerful than we can grasp with our best measuring instruments and thoughts. Therefore nature is the
breeding place of the natural miracle.
117 Lyons/Petrucelli, op. cit. p.71
118 Lyons/Petrucelli, op. cit. p.71
119 Lyons/Petrucelli, op. cit. p.71