The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-17
How Pain is Useful.

The statement Of Or. S. Weir Mitchell.
I'm his address on THE Birth ana Death
Of Pain" at tho recent Boston celebra-
ton Of the semi Of anaes-
thosia, that the purpose of pain is "a rid
die TO which earth can give no answer
IS called In question by the editor OF the
Hospital I'm a leading article dec. D..
For tho editor the use Of pain far from
being a riddle, is so clear that he who
runs may read. Pain is to the ordinary
man a warning of danger. Says the edi-
t0rial 10 which we refer:
Here is a man with q painful broken
arm. Does the pain serve any special
purpose. any purpose which might not as
well have been served without IT. Most
assurodly IL does. But for the pain the
average man-nOt. perhaps. the scienti-
Die man. but the average man-wOuld not
pay heed 20 his injury. would not. In fact.
devote the necessary time and trouble 70
its perfect repair. We have 10 consider
what the average man is for the pur-
poses of this discussion. He is not the
average modern American. or modern
European. tinctured with all the culture.
AN the science, all the high morality of
the modern world. lie Is the typical per-
son of no education, who has made up
the generations Of men from the earliest
times when mankind emerged from the
ifdtllfhllN bIuit toAulllOu INTO NAWfluE
moral consciousness. That is the average
man 10 be considered when we ask what
may be the purpose Of pain. Has pain
had a purpose of any kind for all those
countless generations OF the uncultured
past who have constituted the solid mass
Of mankind? Most assuredly IL has had
a purpOse-many purposes. It has COM
PEELED attention 10 injured structures; II
has enforced rest and sleep by The dis
tress OF WEAKNESS; the taking OF food by
the fortunes Of hunger, and, I'm short has
been the general Indicator ard corrector
for man and beast I'm the exercise Of
physical and physiological energy OF every
kind. Not only so. but the mOrallst and
the religious teacher viii unite IN insist
ing that the educational value Of pain
200 the regions of morals and religion has
been and continues 20 bc incalculahlo. So
far from agreeing with DR.. Weir Mitchell
that pain has no purpose i'm the world.
We affirm that one Of tho most obvious
Of all the facts connected with pain I'm IT'S
definite and iucalculable value. as an I'm
dictator. correct0r. educational force. alike
en- physical mental, and moral spheres
This being so. am ohiectOr may say. why
interfere with pain al all2 This stand
was actually taken by many who held.
AZ the time Of the introduction Of anacs-
thotcs. that 20 use them was 20 fly I'm
the face Of the Almighty. But the H0spi-
tai points out that such a course would
ho quite Illogical 10 says:
"That which s. essential for one period
Of human Development may not be es-
sential for another. The sharp physical
stimuli the clubs ana spears OF the early
savage are not needed by the later races
of men. ln earlier times hunger. thirst.
fear of wounds from enemies. the most
elementary of al sensations. were needed
TO compel even the highest races ~ men
90 do tine best that was IN them. I'm orr
times there are millions who work be-
obedience t0 motives altogether different
from The driving forces of hunger. cold
and physical fear. Ambition compcls eX-
crti0n duty. mere love of work. And 80
tine element Of painfulness. being less
and Joss needed. plays n less and less
conspicuous part as driving and cor
rocting force I'm the world. Will pain. or
the possibility Of pain. ever DE eliminated
from the experience Of man. or killed rs
Dr. Weir Mitchell might prefer 20 put IT,
Most probably not. so long as man is en-
d0wcd with his present nervous system
But 70 RS possible. nay. IL IS quite easy.
10 imagine "a time when mankind I'm gem
oral shall have reached such a stage of
mental capacity and culture. such "a Wide
and mastcrful victory over nature. such
a degree Of physical vigOr and matori'l
prosperity. that pain shall be a very cX-
cortional fact in his experience This is
tho goal az which philosophical medical
science must at any rate aim. with all
tho energy Of which 10 IS capable. ~
Literary Digs.