Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-01-06
WHY WE ARE SICK.
9slf tfon of Man's Evolution to Hts
Ailments.

An Interesting paper was given at the
three hundred and twenty-eighth cor
porate meeting of the Boston Scientific
society by DR.. Cora Hosmer Flagg, the
subject of which was the relation of
mans evolution to his ailments. 1T Ia
q common idea" said the speaker, that
the human body is fixed and stable in
its structure and marvelously adapted
to its supposed uses for definite ends.
But all the evidences from compara-
tive anatomy, embryology and physiol-
ogy go 10 show that the majority of our
organs are combinations, rearrange-
ments and compromises necessitated by
the accidents of complexities"
Much of this instability is due d.
rectly 20 the mechanics of the upright
position and to the fact that the body,
with its quadrupedal ancestry, has not
yet become perfectly adapted TO its new
position. Every region of the body
shows evidences of this maladaptation.
Some structures are in a state OF pro-
gression; that is, they are tending to
more perfect adaptation. Others are
slowly retrogressing, some having even
gone so far as to have gone wholly out
of use. remaining only as vestiges.
The pelvis and the backbone find
themselves with entirely different du-
ties in man from their previous ones in
the quadrupeds, so that here are es-
pecially marked differences In the
beasts the pelvis has merely TO bear
the weight of the end of the back
bone, but in man it has all the weight
of the trunk and the arms to sustain.
The result is that it has become COM
pletely bowl-shaped and is not yet COM
pletely adapted to all its functions, so
that il is the origin of numberless in
conveniences and diseases. In the same
way the backbone in man has assumed
two curves. one near the head and the
other near the base. As another part
of the adaptation there is the loss OF
some ribs and the shortening of the
spinal cord, the latter being the result
of the loss of the tail. These all mark
weak spots in the human economy, each
of which is known TO be responsible for
q number of the common ailments OF
man.
Many of the ailments quoted by DR..
Flagg were technical in their nature,
but still there were quite number,
like the dwindling away of the tibia,
that are patent to everybody. This
bone, the smaller of the two in the hu-
man leg, is equal to its companion in an
imals and shares the work with it. But
in man in his upright position 1t is
merely accessory; it has lost strength
and size, and, being in an exposed po-
sition, is subject TO fracture. In the
same way the position of the femur is
so changed with reference TO the body
that the weight it must bear not in
frequently results in fracture in its
weak place.
So far as the viscera is concerned,
they are nearly as well adapted TO YER
teal as to horizontal position. Some
weaknesses have, however, been devel-
oped. among which may be noted the
vermiform appendix, which plays so
prominent part in modern diseases.
In like manner the speaker went on
10 show how other difficulties are the
resuit of mans erect posture. The
heart, with a greater hydrostatic pres
sure. often fails under its burdens; the
added pressure is responsible for vari-
cose veins and similar troubles; the ex-
posing of certain important blood YES
sells. like the arteries of the leg and
arm. is a source of danger; canals
which have their offices in the economy
of lower animals become, through dis
use. sources of trouble, tonsilitis being
a malady of such a nature. In the brain
il is a noticeable fact that the diseases
are more commonly among those con-
volutions which man has added 10 the
previously existing brain of the ami
mails. and those lobes in which lie the
emotions or instincts common to nearly
all animal life are quite exempt from
disease. The more complex parts of the
brain are affected; hence suicide, which
is the result of thought, is common
among the insane, while they will re-
sist. as any animal would, attempts on
the part of another to do them injury
Boston Transcript.