The Great Physician XVII: Obstetrics, Anatomy, Physiology & Wounds

Obstetrics / Childbirth

Some of the most thorough and accurate medical accounts of the Bible are in the field of Obstetrics due to the rule of patriarchy and family in the Bible. By their very prevalence, obstetrical procedures would have been familiar to ordinary adult people. We come across twins in the story of Tamar in Genesis 38: 27 – 30 and breech-delivery in the story of Rachel who died as consequence in Genesis 35:16 17. The lanugo/fine downy like hair is described in relation to the birth of Esau. We are told in Exodus 1:15-16 that midwives such as Shiphrah and Puah used a birth-stool as an aid to delivery. This does not appear to have been the norm as a number of passages suggest that the mother gave birth not squatting but in a semi-erect position with the midwife squatting before her. The child was delivered, it is thought, onto the knees of the midwife and this process has appeared in metaphorical usage in a few instances in the Bible, perhaps most memorably Job 3:12

Why did the knees receive me or why the breasts, that I should nurse? Job 3:12

Puerperal fever called also Childbed Fever caused by Streptococcus Pyogenes would have been common and most probably fatal in biblical times and all the way up to the 20th century and the advent of antibiotics. It was a common cause of maternal septicaemia death or maternal sepsis in the post-partum period. It is an infection of the placental site following delivery or abortion and is characterized in mild form by fever but in serious cases the infection may spread through the uterine wall or pass into the bloodstream.

Infant Mortality and Stillbirth

These two conditions were highly prevalent throughout the ancient world. Poor nutrition, poor hygiene and infection would have been major contributors. Failure to thrive among infants would have been commonplace. Any woman’s failure to lactate would have certainly have resulted in infant death if there was not wet-nurse available.

Knowledge of Anatomy & Physiology

A number of anatomical terms appear in the Bible though not necessarily used in a strictly anatomical or medical sense. As might be expected, the majority of these describe visible parts of the body (hand, finger, thumb, breast etc) or anatomical structures used in sacrifices as in Exodus 29:17. Many occurrences are in poetry and employ anatomical terms in a metaphorical sense in, for example, Job 16:13 and 21:24 or in Psalms 69:4. Notable examples of Hebrew anatomical terminology are given in the list below. Since I’m dealing mostly with the Law I am using Hebrew references but most of these same words abound in Koine Greek too.

Structure-Hebrew Word-Text

Abdominal muscles and hips שרירי בטנו Job 40:16

Hips מֹתֶן Job 40:16

Blood דם Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:11, et al

Bone גרם / עצם Genesis 2:23 et al

Bowels מעה Genesis 15:4 et al

Brain/mind [heart] לב (Aram = לבב ) Daniel 4:13 et al

Breast (female) שד [dual שד ים ] Song of Songs 4:5

Caul יתרת Exodus 29:13 & 22

Flesh בשר Genesis 17:11 et al

Foreskin ער לה Genesis 17:11

Gall מררה Job 16:13

Heart לב Exodus 7:3 et al

Kidney כליה Exodus 29:13 & 22

Liver כ בד Exodus 29:13 & 22

Loins / hips מתנ ים Job 40:16

Marrow (Bone) מ ח Job 21:24

Omental fat a two-layered structure that is like a parachute, covering and surrounding the organs of the abdominal cavity חלב מכסה הק רב Exodus 29:22

Peri-renal fat ח לב Exodus 29:13 & 22

Sinew [nerve] גיד Job 40:17 [Genesis 32:32

Throat גרון Psalms 64:9

Tooth שן Leviticus 24:20 et al

Vagina חר Song of Songs 5:4

Womb בטן/רחם Exodus 13:15 / Job 1:21

Wounds

Wounds were commonplace in every ancient civilization, not just from war but from everyday activities such as chopping wood, carpentry or masonry. Where the wound was not enough to bleed-out or otherwise fatal, the most likely risk was that of sepsis or potentially life-threatening infection in which large amounts of bacteria are present in the blood. It is commonly referred to as blood poisoning. Although the wound may have occurred accidentally, the septic consequences were often seen in Scripture as divine punishment for foolishness and carelessness.

My wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my foolishness ~ Psalms 38:6

One of the very few passages in the Bible that gives any inkling of practical medical treatment presumably by relatives, bystanders or by secular medical practitioners is found in Isaiah that relates to wounds.

Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your head has a massive wound, and your whole heart is afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there is no soundness…only wounds and welts and festering sores not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil. ~ Isaiah 1:5-6

Why olive oil? Because olive oil is an emollient or lubricate and would have reduced the local effects of aerobic bacteria by smothering it since aerobic bacteria needs oxygen to survive. The act of binding, by applying pressure, would stem the flow bleeding. Apart from total disregard of cleanliness and sterility, these are essentially a first responder's protocol for treatment of wounds.

If the patient did not bleed to death or develop sepsis, such treatment would have been effective at saving a life. Unfortunately, infections were the bane of ancient society with few ways to treat them. So most would've died anyway unless Divine Providence stepped in.

Childbirth brings the body into the physical world. Anatomy describes its construction by the Creator. Physiology describes its use throughout its duration in the world and discussion of wounds shows us how it can be damaged in a fallen world.