SCIENCE OF BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA 



tically all Assyrian books, draw upon the knowledge 

 of old Babylonia, give lists of animals, making an at- 

 tempt 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 classi- 

 fication 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 construc- 

 tion 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 rudimen- 

 tary 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. 



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