Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-10-02
copyright. 1914, BY A. S. Gra)
THE QUESTION OF CURES.

THE QUESTION OF CURES.
In his principles of Biology" Her.
bert Spencer wrote: Early ideas are
not usually true ideas. Undeveloped
intellect, be it that of an individual or
that of a race. forms conclusions
which require to be revised and re-
revised before they reach tolerable
correspondence with realities. Were
1t otherwise there would be no discoy-
cry, no increase Of intelligence. What
We call progress of knowledge is the
bringing of thoughts into harmony
with things; and it implies that the
irst thoughts are either wholly out OF
harmony with things, or in very in
complete harmony with them"
In this quotation is the key to the
reply to the frequent query: What
has the spectrum got to do with my
health and digestion?" There is a
close analogy between the building up
Of organic compounds out Of the inor-
ganic under the influence OF light
waves and the rebuilding Of these
same complicated compounds into
higher forms in our bodies under the
influence of the engines; and by COM
pretending what we can see OF the
operation Of light on the vegetable
kingdom We are able to secure some
understanding Of what we cannot see
in orr ouyn h03ioa
knowledge has value in exact pro-
portion to the benefit it confers, direct
ly or indirectly, on the human race.
Every new scientific fact or principle
generally grasped helps to an under
standing OF natures laws, and when
properly applied is sure to lead to
increased health, efficiency and pros
perity of the individual and OF the
community. For example: But few
years ago the milkman might let any
quantity of dirt fall into the milk
provided he strained it out again so
we could not see it, and might feed
his COWS any kind of slop that would
not kill them. We did not care. be-
cause we did not understand the rela-
tons of things. But today, because OF
the general knowledge of bacteriology
and of sanitary science, enlightened
public opinion compels the milkman
to keep dirt out of the milk and to
give his cows good food. The result
of this is shown in the fact that there
has been an enormous reduction in In.
FAINT diseases and in the death rate Of
young children.
The reduction Of infant mortality by
preventive measures and the reduc-
ton of epidemic diseases through pre-
ventive measures have produced ma
terial reduction in the general death
rate. This has led to the false conclu-
sion that the length of human life is
increasing. 1t is not. Statistics show
fewer deaths in the younger ages, but
point to an increase in the deaths
after passing the age Of forty years.
The greatest obstacle to progress
along this line lies in the fact that we
have not yet grasped our relation to
things. We still harbor a strong be-
lief in cures" and not until they have
been tested and weeded out by the
slow, painful experimentation of the
whole human race extending over q
generation or more are We willing to
admit they are useless. The reason
for this is that about eighty-five per
cent of all cases of illness get we'll of
their own accord, no matter what may
be done or not done for them, and
therefore any remedy, provided it is
not directly harmful, which is used
with sufficient constancy in any dis
ease, will score more than sixty per
cent Of cures. Hence every new rem
edy starts loaded with margin
Of chances in it's favor, and in the alb
sence of comprehensive and reliable
statistics to prove that more patients
who took q certain remedy got we'll
than recovered as the result of not
taking it, we are left up in the air"
The truth is buried under the mislead-
ing statement that 70 to 80 per cent Of
the patients taking that particular
remedy were cured by it. This is the
foundation of the deluge Of half truths
and errors behind the many dietetic
doctrines now in vogue. Doctor and
patient alike are victims Of costly
errors and are terribly punished by
nature by universal shortening Of
LIE not in harmony with her require
ments.
We have got to learn that 1t is far
more important to furnish conditions
which promote health and develop
ment than 1t Is to make special effort
to care for the sick or defective, and
that the first requisite to success in
life is to be a good animal Illness is