San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-10-29

tice.
Nature has imposed upon the world Of life
her storms, earthquakes, etc, which are
called sublime manifestations Of her SUI
preme power" She has exposed her children
to accidents, which through no effort of their
own can they escape. She has also fixed
penalties for voluntary transgression and
violation of her laws. But, beyond that, in
her Infinite mercy, she has established law
of compensation for all unfortunates who
suffer, and nowhere else is its application
more clearly evident than in the victims OF
physical impairmpnts. She has provided
that, within certain limits, if any part OF
the system or function Of man becomes de-
ranged or disabed-unable to do its work
properly-Other parts, through their reserve
power, shall do additional work, and SO COM
pensate for the infirmity.
Take, for instance, the heart When dis
ease, say of the valves, first begins to show
itself, at once other changes in that organ
commence to obviate, in great measure, the
imperfection. In using "A pump, If the valves
are sound, less effort is required by us than
if they are imperfect, and allow some of the
water to fall back into the well. lnaSmuch
as they are inefficient, just so much harder
we must work and take so many more strokes
of the pump, if we would keep up the same
flow of water which we could raise if the
valves were in perfect condition. So it is
when the valves OF the heart do not close
tightly, but allow some OF the blood to re-
cede; it must labor all the harder. For such
o condition as this nature has provided. She
causes the walls OF the heart to grow thicker,
and hence makes that organ more powerful
By thus compromising for the valvular dis
ease, the general condition Of the person may
for long time be hut little changed He
may even enjoy comparatively good health
for years, and his infirmity only be dscov-
cred by accident.
This law of compensation is clearly evi
dent in what arc called hunchbacks AS a
rule, they are so frail looking one would not
expect them to he able to fight severe dis
ease, and yet they have resistant and reac-
tive power which is simply wonderful
Strong, robust children taken down with
disease eften succumb when these deformed
unfortuRates, FRUSTRATED with an attack Of
the same and OF equally severe type, recover.
Where there are two like organs in the
body, if one is injured the other takes on
greater activity and strength. and assumes
additional burden. II ONE hung is crippled
by an accident, in time the other may be SO
changed it will do worry we'll the work de
signed for both. Cases are not infrequent
where one kidney has become absolutely use
less, and has even been removed, and yet the
person suffered little or none, apparently,
from its loss. This law OF compensation the
physician and surgeon meets at every turn"
as he labors for his patients. 1t is one on
which he must rely much. We have said
that perfection of health is purely ideal; that
1t mover actually exists. The average man is
far from the enjoyment Of perfect health.
Were human bodies Transparent, there would
be revealed abnormalities in all, and even il.
some Of those apparently fairly well there
would be found diseases which it would seem
must soon prove fatal, and yet the victims OF
them resist death FOR years.
1t Is d popular belief that II the lungs once
become even i'll slight degree affected, con-
sumption is sure to result, and yet it Is safe
to say that there is scarcely a person living
who has perfectly healthy lungs. Nearly all,
il not all, have soIue time or other during
their lives suffered from trouble in those
important organs, which have healed and
become perfectly sound again. The extent
to which tho liver may be diseased, and yet
the general health remain fairly good, is
something TO marvel at For instance, cir
rhosis o: the liver, or, rs it is sometimes
called, gin liver" Is degenerative change
III that organ, which, if not arrested, which
is rarely po-siol., ultimately destroys it AID
Ifs The disease is usually very fAr aCl
vancsd besnr+ tna victim fully realizes thic
lie is falling in hpSIts. Tbs o.her organs in
- ! -.
tai loss i. scarcely tsit Diseases of the
Stomach, a. rule soon make themselves
apparent, and yos sonle remain concealed, or
their presence is rlSroly suspected, for years
Physician Us whe are employed as examiners
for i2.uraacs companies, endowment socie-
ties and tse l.SS vii tssSify that diseases OF
the kidneys-aS Bylsat'S ciSease-are in very
many cases first disclosed by their analysis,
and while tie victims believe themselves to
be in good health, never having had a symp-
tom which led them to even suspect that
dread COMPLAINT.
AII 50 we might go on, calling attention
to each organ Of tie body separately, and
telling how little evidence of even serious
impairment is sometimes offered to the vic
tim. Were this condition OF things changed.
did nature less faithfully observe her law of
compensation and conceal existing infrmi-
ties il might be better for some, but certainly
not for others. where ignorance is bliss"
etc l. is sometimes we'll that we should not
know our weaknesses. II we were tho victim
of All incurable disorder many of us would
prefer to live on in ignorance until the fact
dawned upon us.
There are but few diseases which. if recog-
nized early and proper treatment is applied.
cannot be permanently arrested. if not
wholly cured. None is more dreaded than
consumption; yet that disease-popularly