for example, on the same tablet just quoted, one reference which
assures us that "when a sheep bears a lion the forces march
multitudinously; the king has not a rival." There are other
omens, however, that are so easy of realization as to lead one to
suppose that any Babylonian who regarded all the superstitious
signs must have been in constant terror. Thus a tablet translated
by Professor Sayce[20] gives a long list of omens furnished by
dogs, in which we are assured that:

1. If a yellow dog enters into the palace, exit from that
palace will be baleful.
2. If a dog to the palace goes, and on a throne lies down, that
palace is burned.
3. if a black dog into a temple enters, the foundation of that
temple is not stable.
4. If female dogs one litter bear, destruction to the city.

It is needless to continue these citations, since they but
reiterate endlessly the same story. It is interesting to recall,
however, that the observations of animate nature, which were
doubtless superstitious in their motive, had given the
Babylonians some inklings of a knowledge of classification. Thus,
according to Menant,[21] some of the tablets from Nineveh, which
are written, as usual, in both the Sumerian and Assyrian
languages, and which, therefore, like practically all Assyrian
books, draw upon the knowledge of old Babylonia, give lists of
animals, making an attempt at classification. The dog, lion, and
wolf are placed in one category; the ox, sheep, and goat in
another; the dog family itself is divided into various races, as
the domestic dog, the coursing dog, the small dog, the dog of
Elan, etc. Similar attempts at classification of birds are found.
Thus, birds of rapid flight, sea-birds, and marsh-birds are
differentiated. Insects are classified according to habit; those
that attack plants, animals, clothing, or wood. Vegetables seem
to be classified according to their usefulness. One tablet
enumerates the uses of wood according to its adaptability for
timber-work of palaces, or construction of vessels, the making of
implements of husbandry, or even furniture. Minerals occupy a
long series in these tablets. They are classed according to their
qualities, gold and silver occupying a division apart; precious
stones forming another series. Our Babylonians, then, must be
credited with the development of a rudimentary science of natural
history.


BABYLONIAN MEDICINE

We have just seen that medical practice in the Babylonian world
was strangely under the cloud of superstition. But it should be
understood that our estimate, through lack of correct data,
probably does much less than justice to the attainments of the
physician of the time. As already noted, the existing tablets
chance not to throw much light on the subject. It is known,
however, that the practitioner of medicine occupied a position of
some, authority and responsibility. The proof of this is found in
the clauses relating to the legal status of the physician which
are contained in the now famous code[22] of the Babylonian King
Khamurabi, who reigned about 2300 years before our era. These
clauses, though throwing no light on the scientific attainments
of the physician of the period, are too curious to be omitted.
They are clauses 215 to 227 of the celebrated code, and are as
follows:

215. If a doctor has treated a man for a severe wound with a
lancet of bronze and has cured the man, or has opened a tumor
with a bronze lancet and has cured the man's eye, he shall
receive ten shekels of silver.

216. If it was a freedman, he shall receive five shekels of
silver.

217. If it was a man's slave, the owner of the slave shall give
the doctor two shekels of silver.

218. If a physician has treated a free-born man for a severe
wound with a lancet of bronze and has caused the man to die, or
has opened a tumor of the man with a lancet of bronze and has
destroyed his eye, his hands one shall cut off.

219. If the doctor has treated the slave of a freedman for a
severe wound with a bronze lancet and has caused him to die, he
shall give back slave for slave.

220. If he has opened his tumor with a bronze lancet and has
ruined his eye, he shall pay the half of his price in money.

221. If a doctor has cured the broken limb of a man, or has
healed his sick body, the patient shall pay the doctor five
shekels of silver.

222. If it was a freedman, he shall give three shekels of silver.

223. If it was a man's slave, the owner of the slave shall give
two shekels of silver to the doctor.

224. If the doctor of oxen and asses has treated an ox or an ass
for a grave wound and has cured it, the owner of the ox or the
ass shall give to the doctor as his pay one-sixth of a shekel of
silver.



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