The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-05-14
The Moral Effects Of Pain
Bodily Discomfort Part OF Natures Benevoence Says
the Lancet, and the Powers Of the Will ana
the Imagination Make Complications.

source Of pain. 1t may be asked at
how low a point in the animal scaie
the idea of pain was evolved. rs
answer is that pain commenced prop
ably as a mere discomfort and that
its intensity increased with inc ue-
velopment of the organism. Ihere-
fore, under pain in its widest sense
we must include all unpleasant SEN
sations from the faintest 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
circumstances the 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 u6D0AQS InSlI NSLy OAAoCSAAS's'
If 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 it happens that the
uneasiness produced by 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 pow
I erful exercise of the will it is possible
in many cases to overcome the inf1u-
ence of intense pain, so that the suf-
ferer may be able to carry on mental
work for which the closest application
is necessary; it needs a great mental
effort, but it can in many cases be
done. The pain can for 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 it is merely
a special kind of pain. Irritation
will not let itself be ignored; it
thrusts itself to the front. A very
small amount of irritation may be
able to prevent entirely any contin-
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, inflicting acute pain, but re-
moving for a time at least the irri-
tation which they dread.
It often happens that laws, just
and useful in their general applica-
ton, are useless and even harmful in
special case, and so it is with pain.
1t is seen to be Of the greatest value
when we look at nature as whole,
| but numberless instances are met
with in which pain is useless and only
| harmful.
In those who practice medicine the
alienation 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 a
pain, to 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
pain.-New York World.