THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
The only Jewish publication in the State of Michigan
Devoted to the interests of the Jewish people
Vol. I. No. 17
DETROIT, MICH., JUNE
23,
1916
Health and Disease Among the Jews
$ 1.5 0 per Year
Single Copies 5 Cents
10.
By DR. EMIL RICE
to eliminate the consumption of crease on this continent as well as
The relative immunity of the Much of this immunity is undoubt-
meat of animals which manifested in Europe. That the Jews guarded
Jews to all contagious and infectious edly due to their strict adherence to
the slightest trace of disease. And their health carefully may be de-
diseases can be traced as far back as the laws governing the Jewish faith, for ages this meat which has been ducted from the fact that the science
the Talmudic times ; and statistics which embody many rigid aphor- rejected as food by the Jews was and practice of medicine were from
can prove that it still survives today. isms on bodily and dietary cleanli- bought and consumed by adherents the earliest times considered of
In a way it appears peculiar that the ness. Many of the apparently funda- of other faiths. Another factor great dignity and worthy of great
Jew who is physically inferior to his mental laws of Judaism have for contributing to this immunity is the honor and esteem. The Jewish
gentile neighbors should ward off their nucleus, hygienic principles
Scholars of the Talmudic ages
the onslaught of disease, and emerge
studied anatomy, physics and bot-
from the conflict with a lesser mor-
any without intending to practice
Daughter of Supreme Court Justice
tality. Physically the Jews are the
the healing art. While the church-
shortest and narrowest of races.
ridden Christians of the middle ages
There is no race that appears less
were making pilgrimages for health
strong and none that can so well re-
to holy wells and sacred relics and
sist misfortune. This applies not
were warding off disease by the
only to the well-to-do classes, but
wearing of omulets, the Jews have
also to the poor people in the con-
invariably depended on therapeutic
gested districts of the large Jewries
remedies and the services of physi-
of the east, and of the densely popu-
cians. The Rabbis said, "that a per-
lated ghettos of Galicia, Russia and
son should not reside in a neighbor-
Roumania. When I first entered
hood where a physician does not
service in a hospital located in the
dwell."
so-called foreign quarter of Phila-
The first thing to attract our at-
delphia, I was horrified at the mis-
tention today is the fact that the
erable conditions under which hu-
longevity of the Jews is greater than
man beings live. They were toiling
that of any other race. The United
ceaselessly in poorly ventilated
States census reported that the aver-
sweat shops ; in homes five families
age duration of life among the Jews
were crowded into a space only suf-
is fifty-seven years, while for his
ficient for one ; bread, fruits and
Christian hrother it is forty-one.
vegetables eaten uncooked were sold
For that reason life insurance com-
from stands covered with thick lay-
panies regard the Jews as especially
ers of dust and flies ; these were
desirable clients.
handled promiscuously by hands of
Among the diseases to which the
questionable cleanliness and moth-
Jews are comparatively immune,
ers shopping with their children
that which stands pre-eminently
dealt these eatables to them without
foremost on the list is tuberculosis.
even having them washed. Admir-
In spite of the congested conditions
able conditions for the spread of
under which the multitude of the
disease. After staying in the hos-
race lives they suffer less from the
pital a while, I learned that there
ravages of tuberculosis than any
were comparatively less cases and
other race. The liability of the race
less deaths from diphtheria, croup,
to pneumonia is also less than that
typhoid and tuberculosis among the
MISS SUSAN BRANDEIS
of other people. This may be be-
Jews than among other races living
(See Story on page 5)
cause their occupations are largely
under similar conditions. The same
confining and do not necessitate ex-
immunity applied to Jewish infants,
posure in bad weather. Smallpox
the number of whom succumbing to
carefulness
with
which
life
and
also
has a less marked affiliation for
intestinal diseases was below that of only. The Jews are forbidden the
other people. When one thinks of eating of flesh of an animal that health have been guarded by the the race ; it attacks the Jew far less
this low mortality in spite of the had died of poison ; drinking water Jews from ages most remote. The frequently than the non-Jew ; the-
poverty, congestion and unhygienic which has been left uncovered over high value which they place upon necessity for vaccination has always
surroundings, one is bound to be- night ; touching, during meals, parts life is shown by the rarity of sui- been appreciated by the Jews an&
heve that the Jews have a wonder- of the body covered with perspira- cides among them ; in biblical times the promptness with which they ac-
f ul power of resistance. Perhaps it tion, hundreds of similar command- suicides were very rare ; during the cede to it has probably established
is because the Jews in soul and ments were carried out by the Jews, persecutions of the middle ages they this immunity. The existence of
body, physically and morally are the perhaps without realizing their pur- were of more common occurrence typhoid fever is somewhat less.
product of a selection which lasted pose and regarding them as acts of and were resorted to as means of among the Jews than among other
two thousand years, and has been piety. Their laws Concerning the relief ; in modern times suicide races and the death rate from that
the most severe and painful which selections and preparations of flesh among the Jews is again very rare disease is lower among them.
(Continutd on pap 4)
living beings ever had to endure. for food have for ages been such as although as a whole it is on the in-