Medica Sacra Or, A Commentary on the Most Remarkable Diseases Mentioned in the Holy Scriptures

"Medica Sacra" by Richard Mead is a mid-18th century exploration connecting biblical stories with medical understandings of the time, interpreting diseases mentioned in the Holy Scriptures through the lens of both faith and emerging science. The work examines biblical illnesses, from those suffered by Job to ailments of ancient kings, bridging the gap between spiritual narratives and physical experience. Mead begins by examining Job's afflictions, presenting them as a complex trial of faith and moral strength, acknowledging the story's importance as both a historical account and a lesson on perseverance, with the sufferings and subsequent recovery of Job symbolizing themes of divine authority and human resilience, setting the path for a deeper analysis of diseases described throughout scripture.