The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-04-01

but to be as part and parcel of it. Few
would now venture on definition of
disease, for, In reality it is but the
course of nature in living thing which
is not health. In health the balance of
function is even; incline it to either
side and there is disease. That being
SO, just as the life process constitutes an
individual and puts him apart from his
fellows so mus any alteration in it be
individual and not general. But to the
ignorant disease is an eutlly an evil
spirit which attacts and slezes US.
Hence arises the word ''siezre," which,
though in somewhat different way we
still use but with a protest. To the
charlatan disease is @ set Of symptoms
to be attacked by variety of drugs, a
drug for each symptom. Now as &C
tivity is an inherent quality In every
animal tissue and evisices the phenom-
ena we call life; and as this vivascity is
the functions ef that part, 80 it leads to
the indisputable recognition of disease
being perverted action. This being
once accepted as an ultimate and fixed
point the very next suggestion in to
ascertain intelligently in what this per-
version consists and secondly how best
to regulate the known variance. Ii
then physiology is evinced healthy ac-
tivity it must be normal or natural be-
cause tending directly to sustain or per-
petuate human existence. 1t then fol-
lows as a seqence that any and every
departure from physiology is retro
grade action--a process Of disintegra-
ton. All syntheticai action is thus seen
to be of positiveor sthelllc nature and
always operative In sustaining given
forms, therefore, it is the higher or
more exalted action, and any variation
or departure therefrom becomes at once
disease OF lowered vitality. Though
this be so 1t may still be life but mani
fest in a retrograde process of action.
Every disease becomes through this
reasoning of an asthenic character,
which is a faith firmly planted in the
pathology of the eclectic school. Con-
sequent upon disease being retrograde
action the tendency must be towards
death, and if not arrested by healthful
interposition, must surely lead to that
issue. We believe then that there can
never be perverted action (disease) of
an exalted or sthenic type. That such
could and did exist, constituted the
chief foundation for alopatic therapeu-
tics, and hence followed their reducing
treatment; contrarywise that such can
never be the case, is cardinal doctrine
with us and leads to our sustaining
measures. This, we believe, is fair
view of the initial distinction between
old and new school medicine-a differ
ence which widens as it grows farther
into departmental studies, and which
gives to both their respective features.
That bt4sing all hope upon the recon
structive powers of nature and relying
upon the the s'visterge'' of constructive
forces, the liberal, the independent, the
rational physician Ghe real eclectic)
guided by the unerring indications of
nature and sustaining with jealous care
the normal functions of every organ and
(hypotheticating nothing) applies to ex-
pence for knowledge to truth, for guild
ance to Deity, for wisdom, and com
bines the ever-known with discovered
reality in existence, and utilizing all
scientific researches applies his best and
surest remedies to meet the securing
symptoms.