The Portland daily press., 1875-05-07
The True Nature of Disease.

browne SOmeWueTc III tHc OIu Duiieli, WhiSh
have been declamed against since the begin
ming of the world, and which are still taken
up and exposed by the writers of each suc-
ceeding age. Among these may be classed
the prevalent opinion, shared in too often, it
is to be feared, by professional minds, re-
garding the true nature of disease. The
latest champion of the truth appears in
the person of DR.. Edward E. Denniston,
who addresses an open letter to the Massa-
chusetts Medical Society.
DIR. Denniston's letter is in part in advoca-
CIV of a system of water-cure in which he
has great faith but this advocacy does not
materially interfere with the train of reason
ing pursued, nor with the soundness OF the
conclusions to, which the argument leads. The
letter is thoughtful and suggestive, and the
views advanced, though of necessity lacking
absolute novelty because they are upon
theme which has been discussed, more or less,
since medicine began, will be new to many
unprofessoral readers.
DR.. Denniston complains that practitioners
of medicine are not governed by any distnc-
tive principle of law in their method of treat
ing so-called disease, but that each one fol-
lows the impression that is the result of his
training, study, and observation. The
method pursued is one of empiricism, Ia
tional with the few, initiative with the many.
The craving desire of the public, he says, is
to be relieved from pain and suffering; and
the pressure of this desire upon the profess
sion urges the search for use OF means
which palliate the symptoms for-the time be-
ing, but have little reference to their source
or object. Possibly our letter-writer speaks
stronger than he really intends. He cannot
mean to condemn empiricism which is
the true foundation of medicine as OF
every other art; nor to insist that medicine
is so perfected that the day for experiment
has gone by nor to deny that the wisdom of
the profession has framed from numerous
data many general laws the truth OF which
our latest researches go to confirm. AS to
the treatment Of symptoms, it is but fair to
say that, at least with the more thoughtful
members of the profession, it is but seeming
compliance with popular error which expe-
rience has proved impossible to dissipate.
DR.. Denniston's high regard for the water
cure has apparently led him to an injustice.
However much DR.. Denniston's zeal for
his peculiar method of treatment may color
his views, we have to thank him for his ex-
position of the term disease. 1t means sim
ply want of ease. But it has, he says,
through the lack of knowledge of its true
nature, assumed an entity in the public mind
and also in that of the profession. 1t is a
source of anxious dread, and is treated as an
enemy to be annihilated. Now disease is
merely an effort to throw off inherited or ac-
quired evils, to perfect the physical man. The
paroxysms of suffering through which the
race passes are sanitary. 1t is true that
MANY of those who are deficient in con-
stitutional force succumb; but this
is simply result of natures law OF tie
survival of the fittest. 'sPain and suffering
are necessities, birthrights, blessings" Al
this is philosophical and true. The idea,
though as old as Hippocrates, cannot be
brought to the notice of man too often. Very
few entertain it. Very few ever look upon
sickness as other than curse. Indeed there is
little immediate consolation in the assurance
that the pains that are racking our bodies are
benefcient in their workings, and are perfect
ing our physical life. But if it be relief to
the poor wretch stretched upon the sck-bed
by all means let the truth be told.
But our Doctor goes farther. He says that
men 'are the creatures of their feelings rath-
er than of their facts, and when ache, all and
pain set in, reason and common sense are
turned out; and the cry is, relieve me from
my sufferings." This isn't right, he thinks.
Men should "grin and bear it." Pain is
the method which Mother Nature takes to
work off the evil. We should not interfere
by calling in the doctor and asking him for
anodynes. This is very pleasant in theory;
but the man who is suffering all the torments
of neuralgiasscares very little about the meth
cd Mother Nature adopts to drive poison
from his system, and cares very much about
immediate relief from pain. That relief too,
so far as it does not interfere with .he
eradication of the evil or paralyze the
able and called tor. 1t is probable
that as DR.. Denniston claims. the routine
practitioner is more anxious to extinguish
and get rid of the symptoms than he is TO
purge the body of the Geep seated evil. 1t is
true also that the disease so-called is fire.
quently collection of symptoms, and that in
curing the disease we sometimes are simply
throwing obstacles in the way of the purify
ing process by which nature works, or really
antagonzing that process. But the world is
certainly not ready to accept our authors
declaration: 81 say, without hesitation, that
the mischief produced by the method of deal
ing with symptoms very much overhalances
any possible benefit ever derived from it, as it
has neither science, reason, nor common
sense for its basis. 1t is, in fact, the product
of barbarous past in medicine"