What is considered a life threatening illness? Firstly, anything that current medical science considers to be life threatening is considered to be so according to halacha, and even if it just could lead to such a situation. A Jew, even one who is not a doctor, is believed to says that he recognizes this illness as life threatening. In addition, anything that the gemara records as being life threatening is considered to be so, even if contradicted by current medical science. The only exception is where there is a clear change in the disease since the time of the gemara or we have a treatment today that was not available then.
The gemara says that any internal injury, from the teeth and inwards, is considered to be life threatening, unless one knows otherwise. The mishna brura says that this includes a very severe internal pain, that leads one to believe that there is an internal wound. In addition, a wound on the back of the hand or foot is considered life threatening, as is wound from metal, or a very high fever. A serious eye infection is also considered life threatening.
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