Milford chronicle., 1926-10-29

nature? What are the causes that
render the human organism suscep-
tible to malignant tumOrs? No one
today can give a scientific answer to
those questions. We do not know
what brings about arterial hypoten-
sion. Our ignorance of the causes of
chronic nephritis and most of the
diseases of the circulatory apparatus
is practically complete. 1t is neither
possible to cure nor to prevent them.
Our lack of knowledge is still great
er in the field of the nervous and
chiefly of the mental diseases, whose
nature remains almost as mysterious
as it was during the middle ages. 1t
is clear that the future progress of
medicine must consist in finding the
nature and causation of some of
these diseases and their prevention.
Medicine should attempt to lead peO-
pie to extreme old age without suf-
fering, and also to increase their
moral and intellectual value, be-
cause the quality of the individual is
far more important than their guam
tity and progress of the community.
To expect this from medicine does
not appear to be asking the impoS-
sible, when we consider what has
already been accomplished. If our
civilization does not crumble and if
scientific research goes on at in
crease speed we can reasonably be-
lieve that our expectation will be
fulfilled.
If physiology was studied as a
pure science far from hospitals and
medical schools by men possessing
the creative imagination and the
spirit of the discoverer of the funda-
mental principals of physics and
chemistry, the secrets of the func-
tions of the body that we still lack
would be brought to light. Our
knowledge of berebral physiology is
in the embronic stage. We are still
entirely ignorant of the properties
of nerve cells, the nature of ner-
vOus energy and the significance of
telepathic phenomena. No one sus-
poets the manner in which memory,
intelligence, courage, judgment and
imagination are connected with the
brain cells. The knowledge of the
conditions that permit the evolution
of judgment, imagination, kindness
or courage in face, family, or in
dividual or of the conditions that
bring about the disappearance of
these conditions or qualities, would
give the human race far more hap
piness than the complete eradication
of plague, cholera, and typhus from
the earth. At the same time the
discovery of some of the fundamental
properties of nerve tissues would
enable medicine to prevent many of
the nervous and mental diseases. 1t
is obvious that the functions of the
brain must be better understood in
order that, without intellectual or
moral deterioration, the human race
may stand the new conditions of life
imposed on the individual by mod
ern civilization. The spiritual pro-
gress of man could be greatly pro-
NOTED by a scientific knowledge of
the physics-chemica phenomena
which takes place within the brain
cells. Instead of merely increasing
the number of human beings, we
could increase their quality. The
progress of medicine understood in
this manner would be the most i'm
portant factor in the development Of
civilization.
Three quarters of century ago,
chronic diseases, so-called, occasion
ed only one-sixteenth of the deaths.
The others, fifteen-sixteenths, were
mostly from infections. Now, on ac-
count of the great curtailment and
prevention of infection, chronic dis
eases constitute about one half.
The saving of infants has greatly
increased the total span of human
life. The present infant mortality
rate in the United States is 76 per
thousand, which is a reduction in
six years of "a per cent. In regards
to the intestinal diseases of child
hood, the decrease has been much
greater than "a per cent. In fact, it
is exactly SO per cent, which is won
derful. The reduction in pneumonia
and respiratory diseases is about
one fifth. This shows what education
and sanitation and hygiene can ac-
complish. Economic conditions have
a great deal to do with mortality. In
FAINT mortality . is three times as
great among the poor as among
those whose income, roughly speak
ing, is three times as great. But we
have not done enough for the mid
die aged man and woman. Their NOR
tality rate is just as high. The de-
generative diseases are the things
we must now battle with. We have
conquered most of the dread dis
eases; we in our profession, know
that these are almost annihilated.
But what of the man in middle life /?