The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1909-06-03
The Moral Effects OF Pain
Bodily Discomfort Part or Natures Benevolence Says
The Lancet and the Powers Of the VIII and
the Imagination Make Complications.

source of pain. 1t may be asked at
how low a point in the animal scale
the idea OF pain was evolved. The
answer is that pain commenced prob
ably as a mere discomfort and that
its intensity increased with the de-
velopment Of the organism. There
fore, under pain in its widest sense
we must include all unpleasant sem
sations from the falntest discomfort
to the most intense suffering.
Originally, then, all forms OF pain
were intended to serve the useful pur-
pose Of preserving the organism from
harm, but numberless instances oc-
cur in which the pain is out of all
proportion to the benefit to be derived
and pains occur from which no bene-
fit can in any way accrue. In these
circumstancesithe doubts OF many as
to the origin of pain are not unrea-
sonable, but a full consideration Of
the whole subject will show clearly
that the gain far outweighs the loss.
On the sensitiveness of animals to
pain depends their very existence.
II we accept without reserve this
view of the original beginning of pain
we must acknowledge that in many
cases we meet with phenomena which
appear to be inconsistent with 1t. BY
no means rarely 1t happens that the
uneasiness produced by a small pain
is much greater than that resulting
from a severe pain. There are many
who will endure with fortitude pain
which is truly great, and yet they
may be rendered incapable of doing
any work by some small but persist
ent source of discomfort. BY a pow
erful exercise of the will 1t is possible
in many cases to overcome the infu-
ence of intense pain, so that the suf-
ferer may be able to carry on mental
work for which the closest application
is necessary; 1t needs a great mental
effort, but it can in many cases be
done The pain can for a time at
least be put into the background.
This is not always possible with
pains of less intensity, especially II
there be an element of irritation in
the pain. True irritation is distinct
from typical pain, and yet 1t is merely
a special kind of pain. Irritation
will not let itself be ignored; 1t
thrusts itself to the front A very
small amount of irritation may be
able to prevent entirely any contln-
uous mental application; the strong
est effort Of the will may be made,
but in vain; the irritation makes it.
self felt In circumstances such as
these an acute pain is preferable to
the irritation, for It is more endur-
able, and so we find that sufferers
from irritation will scarify them
selves, inficting acute pain, but re-
moving for a time at least the irrl-
tation which they dread.
1t often happens that laws. Just
and useful in their general applica-
ton, are useless and even harmful in
special case, and so 1t is with pain.
1t is seen to be of the greatest value
when we look at nature as a whole,
but numberless instances are met
with in which pain is useless and only
harmful,
In those who practice medicine the
Of suffering is Of prime
importance, but they of all men must
bear in mind that the removal of
the cause is the only true method of
the removal of pain. To drown
pain, 10 obtund the parts so that no
pain is felt, is to throw away the
warning which the pain has given.
Only when the removal Of the cause
is beyond human skill may we con-
tent ourselves with mere relief of the
York World.