The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-19
Is Disease Beneficial?

What is disease? Is it's only mis-
| sion to hurt and destroy? Is 1t a thing
| that nature has put on earth as a
| curse to torment humanity forever, or
does the thing we call disease really
serve a beneficial purpose in the nat
| ural order of things? Is it natures
means or warning US that something
is wrong with the machinery of our
system, and a means of forcing us to
undergo restrictions and adaptations
necessary to effecting repairs? Is the
pain we suffer caused by the work of
repair and not by the basic affliction =?
Is disease benefit instead of a curse
we can not answer these questions
with this days limited knowledge, but
we may be able to furnish some in
formation that will throw a little light
on the subject and that will aid us in
the ultimate solution of the great
problems, which have been the SUBJ
jects of my previous articles
A man is said to be struck down"
by disease as by an avenging angel. ''It
seizes upon him as does a roaring
lion" It CONSUMES him" as does a
fire. The attitude of the medical man
toward disease is that of an oppon-
ent to deadly influences. He has to
combat an enemy to mankind whose
cious. There Is no symptom of dis
ease that is not believed to be noxious
and as such must be stamped out with
relentless determination
must be stayed; if he coughs, the
cough must cease; If he fails to take
foods, he must be made to eat-and
why? Because these are manifesto
intent, and must be banished.
Sir Edward Treves, King Edwards
leading physician, who brought the
king through dangerous illness a
few years ago, recently discussed the
"ben ef1cence of disease" before the
Edinburg Philosophical institution, in
which he said that the prevailing idea
of disease to the effect that it is some
thing that is woeful and malignant
evil in origin, evil in intent, and evil
in effect, is all a mistake.
He said that what was commonly
considered as the symptoms of disease
are not signs of progress of the all
ment, but proofs that the system is de-
tressing indications of the nature OF
the trouble, he said. it might be i'm
possible to relieve the sufferer. They
are one alarm of the sentinel who tells
at the same time where the citadel
is invaded and that the invader is re-
sisted. Peritonitis, for example, is an
exceedingly painful thing, but it is not
dangerous. Nobody dies of peritonitis,
he says. 1t is nothing but a process
of cure. The malady is appendicitis.
Its progress is accomplished so secret
ly that If 1t were not for peritonitis
the existence of appendicitis would not
be discovered until it was too late to
do anything for the patient. The ap-
pendix itself does not pain any one
even when almost destroyed. But the
peritoneum is more sensitive 1t be-
gins at once to fight the bacteria to
which the appendix is giving way, and
it notifies the brain through the me-
dunn of pain messengers that there is
a battle going on.
1.-THE popular view claims that dis
ease is a calamity said Sir Edward,
that its end is destruction, and that it
is purposeless except in one direction,
that of doing harm.
81 hope to demonstrate that there is
nothing preternatureI in disease and
that its phenomena or symptoms are
marked for a purpose, and that that
purpose is benef1cent Disease is one
of the good gifts to man, for it's mo-
tive is benevolent and protective /
can't express that more precisely than
by saying that If it were not for dis
ease the human race would soon be
eXtinct what TO Eat.