The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-10-14
The Evolution of nedieine.


have heard of book called Webster's
Die ionary. In this book will be found
the following: 'Medical-of, pertain
ing to. or dealing with the art of heal
ing disease, or the science of medi-
cine"
The evolution of medicine if described
and related in any degree of detail,
would make vast library.
AS far as history lights the mi =ty
past of the human race, we trace the
practice of medicine. The ancients, as
well as our present day savages, attrib-
uted disease to some form of sin caus-
ing the displeasure of some mythical
god, who vented his wrath by causing
great physical suffering. Insane peo-
pie were supposed to have been aban-
dOned by good influences and turned
over to the powers of darkness.
In the scriptures we read of people
possessed of demons and devils. People
having violent, unclaimed tempers, in
ancient times, were believed to be pos
sessed of one or many devils. This
isn't very difficult to believe even now.
We find that at the first blush of
dawn in history, there were those who
were believed by the mass of people
(whether they convinced themselves,
we do not know to have the power to
heal.
Of course, special education was not
thought Of IN these early days, the
power to heal usually being hereditary
or the healer's work indicated to him
from some mysterious god, or the other
fellow. Disease was lu<ed away by
chants and dances, beating on gourds
or cocoanuts according to the geography
but a lot OF valuable space has been
wasted because you've all seen it at
the movies.
All through the ages, religious be-
! iefs and physical and mental ailments
have been closely associated. This is
still true in some degree among all
classes and races. Many people do not
believe in doctors at all-when they are
not ill-but watch them when they
think they have appendicitis
1t has always been the conviction of
1
tradition illuminates the past, that dis
ease was caused by some agent usually
of unaccountable or mysterious origin,
entering the body from without. Be
cause of this logic, thousands Of differ
ent kinds of mixtures and concOctions,
poisonous and otherwise, in the ages
past, have been swallowed in attempt
ing to destroy this foreign agent with
IN the body and cure the ailments of
man.
The first real light was thrown upon
conditions existing in disease when, on
Iy few decades ago, germ life was
discovered. This discovery, at the
time, made the physicians task look
simple. Just find the drug that would
destroy the germ and the patient would
be well. Il was, however, soon dis
covered that body tissues were more
easily destroyed than bacteria. 1t was
further perceived that healthy people
were not susceptible to bacterial infec-
ton, this being true there must be
some cause for the germs being pres
ent other than just opportunity. Still
farther investigation made evident the
fact that the tissue must first be un-
healthy before germ life could exist
within the body.
This again put our great medical
scientists in the air. 1t had been re-
vealed that instead of germs causing
disease, disease caused the germs to be
present. In other words an Individual
does not get sick because bacteria have
invaded his body but bacteria invade
his system because he is sick
Great dissension has arisen in the
ranks of the medical profession in the
last century and much of it since the
discovery of germ life. The drug prac-
tictioners have split into severel schools,
such as the Alopaths, Eclectics and
Homeopaths, each according to its
belief in the manner of administering
drugs. Some of the progressive mem
bers Of the profession the most premi-
nent Of whom was DR.. Andrew Taylor
Still who served as q surgeon in the
civil war, cOntended that if it were not
possible to destroy germ life within
the body with drugs that they were
not necessary at all. He believed that
by some injury to the body, overwork,
colds, accident or anything that caused
interference with the normal working
of the organs was the primary cause OF
disease through rendering the body
weak and suceptible to the invasion Of
germ life.
Upon Dr. Stills theory has been
builded the osteopathic profession Of
today, and things are being accom-
plished that the founder did not dream
were possible at the time he announced
his revolutionary ideas.-Adv.