The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-01-10

of London, has recently proposed a
plan for the abolition of the liver. 1t is
a well-known principle of the develop
ment theory that an organ or limb
which is not used gradually disappears.
Thus, the ancestral tail of the human
species disappeared after primeval man
ceased to use it in climbing trees, and
the horse laid aside his five toes when
the practice of cramping them togeth-
er with iron shoes came in fashion. Ii
we accustom ourselves to living with
out giving any employment to the liver,
we shall soon find that organ shrinking
and disappearing. This being true, 1t
only remains to find some method of
dispensing with the liver, and we shall
then be able to cast off its obnoxious
yoke.
ANTAGONISTS inform us that we have
an organ called the spleen which is at
present purely ornamental. The
Frenchman believes that the spleen
causes the average Englishman to use
strong language every day in the year,
and to commit suicide every November,
but this is mistake. The spleen is a
modest and unassuming organ, which
passes an existance OF elegant leisure
but there is every reason to suppose
that were it assigned any active duty it
would perform it faithfully and well.
AS Mr.. Edmonds points out, the liver
is situated on the direct line of commu-
nication through which the food from
the stomach passes on its way to nour-
ish the body. The liver seizes upon
this food, and by it's means keeps itself
in a state of aggressive vigor. Over
the same line pass the various medi-
cines of which the liver is Unsuitable,
and which are a source of such con-
slant and unsatisfactory expense. Were
this line of communication to be cut,
the liver would be isolated, and could
neither receive food nor medicine. In
these circumstances, it would soon lose
it's size and strength, and, in the course
of few generations, would become a
merely documentary and entirely harm
less organ.
Mr.. Edmonds' plan for bringing
about this result is to place tourni-
quet between the liver and the stomach,
and at the same time to place power
full poultice between the stomach and
the spleen, and to arouse the attention
of the latter with blisters. He main
tains that after q brief period new
line of communication would be opened
through the spleen, and the liver would
become isolated. This is analogous to
what Grant attempted to do at Vicks-
burg, when he tried to turn the Missis-
sippi through new channel and leave
Vicksburg without water communica-
ton. Whether the plan is feasible or
not remains to be seen. Mr.. Edmonds
bases his estimates for the work upon
the principles of the development theo-
ry and the facts of anatomy, and he as
sures us that the thing can be done
safely and with very little inconveni-
ence. At all events. it is worth trying,
and society for the abolition of the
liver and the improvement and utiliza-
ton of the spleen should be organized
without delay.
Even if Mr.. Edmond's plan does not
prove feasible, some other scheme of
carrying out the same beneficent pur-
pose may be devised. If men will only
put in an earnest effort to get rid of
their ivers, the means to that end will
not long be wanting. These are trifing
matters compared with the oppression
and crime of which the liver is guilty.
Let us rid ourselves of this tyrant, and
the malarious places of the earth shall
blossom with tenants, and peace and
comfort shall be the possession of all
MEM. Y. Times.