Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-19
COMPLICATION OF DISEASES. y
Commencement Of Trouble Usually II
Circulatory System.

From the New York Herald
The death OF Carl schurz, said to be due
to "a complication Of diseases" invests the
exclamation with more or less OF mysteri-
Gus aspect. It IL a term often used to mean
almost any condition In which there Is a
fatal issue from supposed multiple causes.
AS a rule, however there u always dis
tinct starting point for every disease pro-
cess. which, in turn, becomes complicated
only by the number Of different organs
which are eventually involved in progress
Of the case.
The only difflcuity-nnore apparent than
real-is In settling the question as to the
particular part of the body originally AZ
fected. The physician readily answers this
question In his own mind, but does not
feel called upon to give in detail the reasons
for his conclusions. 1t 10 thus much easier
to make a vague statement than mona at
all But the apparent mystery can be solv-
ed ordinarily by taking into account the In
innate functional relations of different or
gans and their rhythmic dependence upon
each other. They are links in chain. Dis
turb one and the entire connection Ii az
fected.
The usual commencement of trouble in
these cases is In tho circulatory system.
Advanced age IL the prime Initial FACTOR.
BY degenerative changes In the coats OF
the smaller arteries these vessels become
contracted and general blood pressure II
necessarily Increased. The blood current,
so to speak, Ia compressed Into smaller
dent in overdistension OF the heart, ultf-
mate congestion Of the kidneys, liver and
lungs and corresponding interference with
their respective functions.
Each organ thus contributes disease OF
its own to the so-oaHed complication and
works against more or less heavy odds.
The heart, struggling against the backing
OF the current becomes enlarged and d.
extra force of the pressure overloads the
kidney and lungs with passive congestion
and, the latter organs, becoming also Or
ganioally deranged. contribute their share
to the general breakdown. Toward the end
then the disease becomes a multiple ono.
The crippled and overstrained heart causes
damming of the blood current in the lungs,
producing senile pneumonic changes and
pulmonary oedema; the kidney succuuibs to
Brights disease, Its defective exoretion
causing brain stupor from systemic poison
ing, while the general circulation so funda-
mentally deranged by these contrtbutive
agencies may eventually relieve itself IN a
general dropslcal condition.
Obviously such an aiIment is beyond all
hope OF ultimate cure. It 10 q question of
general dissolution. The time element In
the only uncertain phase in the problem.
The question of tolerance II one OF compeD-
sation in the organs involved, or. rather.
an adjustment Of the strain along the whole
line Of disturbing forces. With care and
proper treatment such cases may last Tor
years but soonar or later, with sadly adj
vancing organic troubles. they inevitably
succumb.
In younger persons the same so-calIed
Complications may occur when any of
the vital organs. especially the heart or
kidneys. become primarily affected. The
same phenomena show themselves, only
from different starting points. II is the
increased blood pressure, after all. whether
II begins with a diseased heart following
rheumatism, damaged kidney from scarlet
fever. or other toxic influence
Thus viewing the matter from any stand
ton OF diseases means nothing more than
an original affection In one part OF the
body attended with the successive involve
ment Of various accessory and dependent
organs.