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thanks. the book “A physician at Calvary” I read over 20 years ago and in my medical opinion is the definitive work and analysis on crucifixion. In my medical opinion what is overlooked and not talked about is the trauma done to the median nerve when the wrist is nailed and the autonomic neuropathic symptoms that ensue. The profuse sweating for example that is legendary in crucifixion is in my opinion from this. People crucified would end up looking like an asthmatic death as well as the process leads to ventilatory problems, metabolic acidosis and severe muscle cramping. In summary, it is not just people hanging on a cross but a severe type of torture that is very complicated and horrifying. It was eventually banned even by Roman standards. In my medical opinion Jesus died of pericardial tamponade, hemoperricardium, from the severe scouring at the pillar and chest trauma. Most people crucified would last for sometime days. Jesus lasted only 3 hours, to the amazement of Pilate. Water and blood came from his side, Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist. Anybody interested in this should read “A surgeon at Calvary” and I have multiple copies of it in my library.
Bump for later reading to the wife.
The most poignant account of the Lord’s crucifixion I’ve ever read is in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Very sobering.
My dad who was a physician and a devout Catholic all his life told me there is simply no way the nails could have been driven through the palms. As the article points out, there’s nothing but flesh there. That cannot support the weight. The nails would just rip through the flesh. The Romans had to have driven the nails through the wrists where there is enough bone to support the weight.
This was a medieval mistake on par with the mistranslation that caused medieval artists to depict some figures with horns on their heads.
Thanks for posting.
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