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