Download Lydia Restivo 6/2/11 The Code of Hammurabi By Lydia Restivo 6/2

Lydia Restivo
6/2/11
The Code of Hammurabi
By Lydia Restivo
6/2/11
Lydia Restivo
6/2/11
Introduction
The Law Code of Hammurabi was created in 1700 B.C. and discovered on a large
block of polished diorite.
It is one of the oldest writings of significant length known to
man. Hammurabi had it carved in cuneiform and it containes codes of ethics that extend
to medical practice and the usage of herbs. Hammurabi was the King of Mesopotamia
who ruled for 42 years from 1792 to 1750 BC. He was a rare king as he was a monotheist
believing in an unseen God at a time that most people were pagans.
Hammurabi’s Healthcare
The stone references medicinal plants including, poppy, belladonna, mandrake,
henbane, licorice and mint.
It even discusses the importance of using sesame oil as a
dressing on food to behave as an antibacterial.
Some of his laws are much more serious
for example, “If a physician operate on a man for a severe wound with a bronze lancet
and cause the man's death, or open an abscess in the eye of a man with a bronze lancet
and destroy the man's eye, they shall cut off his fingers.” I would imagine it would be
pretty scary to be a doctor back then.
Hammurabi established laws relating to set rates for general surgery, eye
surgery, setting factures etc. He set objective standards for measuring and assuring
quality of care. He established a system for medical record keeping on clay tablets and
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6/2/11
even data analysis of the patients.
“Thousands of clay tablets recorded descriptions of
ailments, including abscesses, colic, gallbladder trouble, rectal prolapse and venereal
disease. Forty tablets interpreted dreams and described prevention of nightmares.” They
documented ailments, causes, treatments and therapy outcomes. On their clay tablet chart
they systematically and routinely entered the physician's name and relevant data.
When a doctor of that time gave medications, which were the natural plants and
minerals of the area, they were free of charge and in many instances combined with
alcoholic beverages, bouillon, fats, honey, milk, oils, wax, and animal parts and products.
Medications were prepared much like they are now, as ointments, or ground and
filtered, also made into plasters for skin ailments.
A common patient prescription would
have dog dung and pig’s gall if necessary. So in a lot of ways Chinese medicine is very
similar in the usage of plants and animals to heal.
The patient was not charged extra for
medications. In Hammurabi’s law there are even rules for patient confidentiality and
care was taken to protect the patient and his or her privacy. If a patient was unhappy with
the way the doctor was treating them they could go to a court system that Hammurabi
established and the doctor would be punished according to whatever malpractice the
doctor is responsible for.
Conclusion
Hammurabi established a very detailed system of healing that resembles that of
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6/2/11
western medicine but with a natural medical approach. He was the first to establish health
care in such a way. It makes us see that healing goes beyond patient and doctor but
governmental influences definitely change the way healing happens. As Chinese medical
practitioner’s today we should follow in Hammurabi’s example of putting the patient first
and making sure that every care is taken to deliver the proper medicine.
Today we face a different challenge as most of our herbs must be delivered from
China which puts an additional responsibility on us to make sure that what we receive is
quality for our patients. Ironically our challenge today is that the laws of our government
don’t necessarily put the patient first. It is not only important for us to make sure we
provide quality heath care to the best of our abilities but to also keep a close eye on and
try to have a voice in the rules of the government that are ever-changing. We must
struggle to make sure that we always put the patient first.
"Let the oppressed man who has a cause come before my statute called
'King of Justice' and then have the inscription on my monument read out and hear my
precious words, that my monument may make clear his cause to him. Let him see the law
which applies to him, and let his heart be set at ease!”- Hammurabi
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6/2/11
Bibliography
http://www.historyofinformation.com/index.php?id=2525
http://www.chem.uwec.edu/Chem491_W01/%20Pharmacognosy%20491/%20%20%20%20%20Med%20
Chem%20Lectures/Lecture%20%206/HistoryofPharmacognosy.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi