The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-10-10
NATURES HEALING POWER.

Abstract of q Lecture by j. III. Kellogg,
NJ D., of Battle Creek sanitarium.
There is no class of men who have so
little faith in remed:e s as really scien-
tific physicians. The people who have
the most implicit confidence in medi-
cines are those who know the least
about them. The important thing for
every one to know is that nature cures
sick people, not doctors Suppose man
accidentally cuts of the end of his
thumb; the doctor puts the piece on
quickly, fastens it with few stitches
and says he thinks it will soon be we'll
He may put on at the same time little
salve or lin ment VIII Oh he assures the
patient has great healing qualities, but
intelligent people know that nothing
can effect healing; that nature must
take up the broken stitches gradually
and knit the thumb on. This of course
is p ain case, but it is analogous to
the process by which any part which
has been damaged must be repaired.
II is not done by medicines or by magic
but by the healing power of nature-by
the inherent uis medicdtrir nature.
In the lower orders of animal life
this power Of return is much greater
than in human being. Take a polyp
and cut it into pieces and each piece
will develop new polyp; cut an earth.
worm in two and the part containing the
head will grow new tail and the tail
will grow a new head. Some fishes can
supply themselves with a new fin If one
has been lost, and crabs and Holsters
grow on new legs. HOLSTERS are very
reckless with their legs and throw them
off or pull them off on 81 ght provoca-
ton. But Holsters moult every six
weeks and deep in the body are what
may be called leg buds which are cap
able of developing to replace member
which has been lost. The supply has
limit and can be exhausted if lobster
is too prodigal. These leg buds we'll
represent the reserve force and curative
properties Of the body. Nature has
given us intelligence so that we are ex-
pected to take better care of ourselves
than these lower creatures whose power
of self-protection is very small If, with
our greater intelligence, We neglect to
take care Of ourselves, we are punished,
and greatly punished. If man abuses
his stomach by putting into it all sorts
of indigestible compounds at hours sea-
sonable and unreasonable, after a while
he will reach the limit of it's uis medical
tir nature. He nay have thought and
declared that At u ID not make any differ
ence what he ate, he could digest any
thing just as the lobster may have
thought his supply Of leg buds was in
exhaustible, and acting upon that sup
position. have found himself legless
some day.
The same principle applies to other
organs of the body. Livers are fire.
Quently overtaxed with tea, coffee, con-
Giments, fats and sweets. and by taking
medicines Probably no organ of the
body is so abused by medication as the
liver. Others are continually whipping
up Their nerves. Nature would repair
and recuperate the nerve force if al
lowed rest and quiet. A lawyer has an
important case in court; his nerve tone
is almost exhausted. He goes to doc
tor and wants some medicine. The
doctor advises few weeks rest The
lawyer says: "Rest is impossible; give
me some med icine to make me feel bet
ter" So the doctor gives the man a
tonic which makes him feel better when
he is no better and excites his nerves to
still greater abnormal activity, enab ing
him to dip little deeper into his cap
ital of reserve vitality. A tonic does
not supply any thing, and by and by
there will be a general crash and break
ing down.
Let chronic invalid sit down and
consider his case. He has bad stomach,
for instance, which refuses to digest
good food even; now, if he will fol ow
common sense instead of popular fall
lacy. he will decide to give h s stomach
as little work as possib 9. He can prob
ably find some food which will not dis
tress him if taken in small quantities.
BY and by he can increase the quantity
and add little variety as his nerve
tone becomes better with the supply of
better blood. In time his stomach will
be able to do considerable work, though
it may never be strong enough to
stand the abuse which he once
heaped upon it. The same principle
applies to the task of restoring the
normal condition of any other diseased
part. fla man plants himself upon this
platform he will not trouble himself
with quacks and their pretensions, for
he will know that his amount OF cis
medtcatrar nature is no more to be re-
plenished than the Holsters stock of leg
buds. He will know that medicines
which are advertised to fill up lung
cavities and restore kidneys in which
there has been a breaking down of
tissue are just as futile as liniment or
salve would be for grow ng new thumb
in the place of one which had been am
putated.
Rational medication and treatment
have constant reference to causes If
we stop producing disease, nature by
her recuperative efforts will bring us
back to state of health again or as
near an approach to it as our remaining
stock OF vital capital will permit Many
persons with stomach and liver troubles
are particularly attracted by remedies
which claim to cure without any atten-
ton TO diet Some vendors of simple nos
trums advise their patients to eat so and
SO and refrain from such articles in con-
nection with that particular remedy and
they will be cured. In such cases all
the benefit derived is doubtless from
the amended diet, for it is bad diet
which has made them sick. Any thing
which promises cure without cutting
Oft OF the bad habits which caused the
disease is fraud. If people VIII only
give attention to these subjects, study
their own bodies and learn the reasons
why they get sick and how they get
we'll, they will be protected against