How is one cured of bleeding gums and tooth loss (scurvy)?
The saving of a life supercedes the observation of the Sabbath only in cases where there is a danger of death or a fear of such danger, but for all other illnesses, which do not constitute a danger of death, one is not permitted to violate the Sabbath. Moreover, one is forbidden to even take medication for these illnesses, though taking the medicine would not constitute a violation of the Sabbath; this is an ordinance of the sages. The sages defined the illnesses which constitute a danger to life quite broadly; for any internal disease in the body one violates the Sabbath. Thus, for example, one who has fever (malaria) is considered to have an internal illness and one may violate the Sabbath for him. The scholars asked: What are the limbs or organs which establish the boundary between an internal illness for which one violates the Sabbath and an external illness, for which one does not? Answer: From the lips inward illness is considered internal. One of the scholars, Rabbi Eliezer, ask
