BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:The authors produced a historical analysis of nine anesthesia-related premises described in the Bible more than 3,500 years ago (Old Testament). Anesthetic drugs and adjuvants, patients, anesthesiologists attitudes and techniques are discussed in the light of Biblical and modern science. CONTENTS: To help understanding, the nine premises evaluated are correlated to the book of Bible citation: I - Jehovah, the pioneer of inhalational anesthesia - Gen 2; II - Alcoholic hypnosis and anesthesia - Prov 20, Gen 19, Marc 15; III - Anesthesia-related Chaos and Chronobiology - Gen 1, Ecles 3; IV - Anesthetic drugs Stereoisomerism - Ecle 42, Gen 1; V - Elijah´s and Elisha´s cardiopulmonary resuscitation - Gen 2, Kings III 17, Kings IV 4; VI - Tocoanalgesia - Gen 3, Rev 12, Gen 35 and Rachel’s post-partum death - Ex 1; VII - Jehovah´s witnesses interpretation of blood transfusion forbiddance - Lev 7,17; VIII - Acidosis for epileptic seizure treatment - Math 17; IX - Death on the cross by hypovolemic shock - Marc 15, John 19. CONCLUSIONS: According to the anesthetic premises discussed, Holy Bible reading without fundamentalism shows no incompatibility between religion, science and anesthesia, except for Jehovah,s witnesses interpretation of Leviticus VII-XVII, by which they would lose eternal life because transfused blood is an impure food forbidden by Jehovah.
ANESTHESIOLOGY