Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-15

Out OF tho darkness of centuries,
eut OF disease Of the ages. truth Is
Emerging which may lead ultimately
20 The overcoming of the arch
NJ the human race-disease. few
scientists and men OF clear vision are
bringing to light and establishing
certain fundamental principles. If
Ns are wise enough to grasp and ap-
ply these principles on a broad. uni
versal basis, we can surely make Of
this sad old world happier and bet
Ter place to live in.
Pioneers Must Hew the Way.
The great highways Of progress
were once rugged trails hewn by
hardy and fearless pioneers through
the deep and dark forests of fixed
belief, arrogant prejudice, SNUG cor
ventionality and the dry rot of stag
Hant minds. There remains, however,
a road yet to be built, without which
all highways must lead up blind
alleys. That road is the broad avenue
over which we must travel to reach
all good-"the road to Wellville" and
human health.
Almost pre-eminent among the
pioneers in the present wilderness of
disease stands DR.. E. V. McCollum
of the department of hygiene and
public health, Johns Hopkins Univer-
sity. This eminent authority, now
famed at home and abroad, urges
radical change in our attitude toward
and In the treatment of disease. DIR.
McCollum declares that until re-
Gently the medical profession was
interested exclusively in the sick.
Now the idea is gaining ground that
II Is more important to keep per-
son well than to cure an illness after
1t has developed. This is the great
ideal of preventive medicine"
But physicians, health officials and
the public itself" DR.. McCollum tells
us, "are in great measure ignoring
all except the most spectacular
alarms in health matters. .
We hear much of clinics for the re-
1noval of tonsils and adenoids and
for the repair Of defective teeth, but
almost nothing of fundamental ma
ture about the adoption of habits of
living which would exempt. in great
measure, the next generation from
our own physical burdens"
This authority goes on to say that
the trouble seems to be that we are
still retaining habits of thought
which must sooner or later become
Anticipated. Case reports, autopsies
and astrological studies still focus
our attention upon the nature of the
disease, it's accurate description and
its differentiation from other dis
eases. while the physiology
OF norman CO0Q1IlOnS receives DUL Ill
tie consideration"
DR.. McCollum further asserts that
"the time has arrived when greater
attention should be given to the most
fundamental problem of all, viz: The
supervision of the conditions under
which the normal development of the
individual takes place. An effort must
be made to perfect the environment
SO as to make the many structures of
the body function in manner which
no VNI,x iN1n 1aal
This means, in brief, that we must
visualize and work for health while
giving disease, as such, only minor
consideration. We need more logic of
this sort.
Curative Powers Within Us.
The most potent of DR.. McCollum's
have brought to light what casual
inspection failed to discern-that our
most effective barriers against most
of the dangers to which our environ
ment exposes US lie within US. Per-
lection of physiological development
and the preservation unimpaired OF
the organs and tissues of the body
assure in great measure immunity
disease conditions"
Another eminent physician and
writer. DR.. Richard C. Cabot, who
stands pre-eminently at the head OF
the medical profession in the state
Of Massachusetts,, tells us that Some
times a doctor can get his reward in
the awareness that he has foiled dis
ease and cured his patient. But if
he is honest with himself, and tntelli-
gent about the respective roles of
nature and of man in the cure Of dis
ease, knowing how huge is the con-
tribution of nature, how minute the
efficacy of man and his remedies in
all except few Of the diseases he
combats, he will not often be able to
say: I cured him; 1 pulled him
through"
LAS a matter of fact" confides DR..
Cabot las 1 look back upon twenty
five years of medical work. I can re-
member but two patients whose lives