CONCEPT OF PRACTITIONERS OF JEWISH AND EARLY CHRISTIAN MEDICINE

Abstract

Summary. The purpose of the article was to study the theological and philosophical origins of Jewish and early Christian medicine. It is shown that the basis of the medical practice of the ancient Jews and early Christians were the books of the Old Testament. The methodological apparatus of the study includes analysis, synthesis and deduction in combination with the principles of religious anthropology: socio-anthropological complexity and causality. The principles of nutrition, sanitation and hygiene are considered in detail in the context of the topic. Scientific novelty. It is established that some Jewish works of the post-biblical period contain a description of the development of philosophy and ethics in medicine, the main ones being the Midrash, the Mishnah and the Talmud. The conceptual medical foundations set forth in the Pentateuch of the Moses and the Talmud is explored. It was determined that the main attention of Jewish practitioners was more focused on disease prevention, as they attached great importance to the principles of ritual purity, which in turn was directly related to public hygiene. A number of works by the early church fathers, who initiated the practice of caring for the physically ill, are considered. It has been established that there are many references in the works of the church fathers to surgical operations and treatment of mental illness. Conclusions. The rules of care for the sick and the measures taken by the Jewish people in the treatment of infectious diseases are outlined. It has been determined that in order to prevent the spread of an infectious disease, the Jews isolated an infected person from close contact with other people, thus avoiding the spread of various diseases and epidemics.