Mortar and Pestle at the Apothecary (I)

Until now we have been discussing what exceptions sick people have from the standard laws of shabbos.  The last subtopic is about a Rabbinic prohibition in the area of medical treatments.

At the time of the gemara, many medical treatments required ground herbs.  In addition, many of the medicines were made to order.  Making these medicines on shabbos violates the Biblical prohibition of tochain, grinding.  In an attempt to prevent a widespread violation of shabbos in the medical field, the Rabbis made a blanket decree banning all forms of therapeutic practices on shabbos.  This includes taking medicines (which is most similar to the preparations of the time of the gemara) and many therapeutic activities.