Was the biblical King David affected by hypothermia?
BACKGROUND
The elderly population has suffered from hypothermia for thousands of years.


METHODS
This report analyzes the first documented case of hypothermia as described in the Bible.


RESULTS
The sentence "Now King David was old and stricken in years, and they covered him with clothes, but he gained no warmth" indicates that hypothermia afflicted the biblical King David, the second and the greatest of Israel's kings, who ruled the country 3000 years ago. Environmental factors did not play a significant role in the development of hypothermia. Among various diseases, the most likely to cause immobility and subsequent hypothermia are dementia, senile osteoporosis, hyperparathyroidism, and malignancy. Among these diseases, malignancy is the most likely.


CONCLUSIONS
Viewed by a modern physician, the story of King David unfolds as possibly the earliest description of a patient affected by hypothermia, features of which have changed little through the ages. This report shows that the roots of contemporary geriatrics lead back to biblical times.
Ben-Noun
Liubov Louba
LL
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Soroka University, Department of Family Medicine, Kiryat-Gat, Israel. L-bennum@zahav.net.il
D001633:Bible; D005197:Famous Persons; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000266:history; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000266:history*; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male