| Show Babylonian Were Fathers of Science Says Knew Knelt Much luch of Medicine i and Astronomy By ny DR WALDO WAIDO II fl DUBBERSTEIN The Oriental Institute University of Chicago Chicago Assuredly Chicago Assuredly the an an- ancient ancient ancient Babylonians deserve the title Fathers of Science Through years of docu docu- documented documented documented history we wc can trace their slow steps toward modern science We today have no rea rea- reason reason reason son to feel smugly superior in our advanced knowledge The really hard steps in progress are the first ones Those were taken tak n for us thousands of years ago Four thousand years ago ngo Babylo Babylo- Babylonian Babylonian Babylonian nian surgeons set broken bones made major and minor body inci inci- incisions incisions incisions and even e attempted eye op op- A pictorial representation shows the physician with his inevitable inevitable inevitable case and bandages Sicknesses were known by specific names and symptoms were record record- ed Magical and religious elements clements of Babylonian medicine are easily over-emphasized over while honest med med- medical medical medical ical prescriptions are overlooked There is a reasonable purpose in Babylonian magic Once gods and demons had been accepted then charms and incantations for their control were also necessary Had magic been omitted the patient would certainly have lacked confidence confidence co nfl nfl- dence in his physician It was part of his professional bedside tech tech- But scores of simple medi medi- medical medical medical cal prescriptions have no magic in them Some even have real medici medici- medicinal medicina medicinal nal na value Mathematics i and Astronomy Mathematics was obviously practical practical practical in a complicated business de de- development development development such as Babylonia experienced experienced experienced almost years ago An An- Ancient Ancient Ancient textbooks offer simple and complex problems In the oldest texts are found addi addi- addition addition addition tion subtraction division multiplication multiplication multiplication cation and fractional numbers Square and cube root tables as well as multiplication tables were also compiled Even the theorems com com- commonly commonly commonly ascribed to the Greek Pythagoras Pythagoras Pythagoras agoras and Thales who lived in the Sixth century B. B B C. C seem to have been known empirically at least in Babylonia years ago Astronomy began its climb to to- toward toward toward ward a respectable science as an assistant to that science pseudo-science as as- Yet by 2000 B. B C. C Babylo Babylo- Babylonian Babylonian Babylonian nian astronomy had assumed much of its later form as a practical ence The necessary adjustment be be- between between between tween the lunar and the solar year was made by inserting extra months All this demanded specific astronomical information The path of the sun through the heavens had been charted through the 12 con con- constellations constellations constellations whose names still sur sur- survive survive survive vive in our zodiac It was their practical compilation tion of observed phenomena as well as their discovery of general truths that made the Babylonians pioneer pioneer- pioneering ing scientists |
