134 HUMAN BIOLOGY 



thought it safe or scientific. Of course there are still many cases where 

 the patient or the patient's friends must be humored by administering 

 medicine, or alleged medicine, where it is not really needed, and indeed 

 often where the buoyancy of mind, which is the real curative agent, can 

 only be created by making him wait hopefully for the expected action 

 of medicine ; and some physicians still cannot unlearn their old train- 

 ing. But the change is great. The modern treatment of disease 

 relies very greatly on the old so-called natural methods, diet and exer- 

 cise, bathing and massage, in other words giving the natural forces the 

 fullest scope by easy and thorough nutrition, increased flow of blood, 

 and removal of obstructions to the excretory systems or the circulation 

 in the tissues. One notable example is typhoid fever. At the outset of 

 the nineteenth century it was treated with " remedies 1 ' of the extremest 

 violence, bleeding and blistering, vomiting and purging, antimony and 

 calomel, and other heroic remedies. Now the patient is bathed and 

 nursed and carefully tended, but rarely given medicine. This is there- 

 suit partly of the remarkable experiments of the Paris and Vienna 

 schools into the action of drugs which have shaken the stoutest faiths ; 

 and partly of the constant and reproachful object lesson of homeopathy. 

 No regular physician would ever admit that the homeopathic " infini- 

 tesimals " could do any good as direct curative agents ; and yet it was 

 perfectly certain that homeopaths lost no more of their patients than 

 others. There was but one conclusion to draw, that most drugs had 

 no effect whatever on the diseases for which they were administered." 

 " Encyclopaedia Americana," Vol. X. (Munn & Co., New York.) 



Applying Hygienic Tests Systematically. The cause of ill health 

 (e.g. a headache) should be sought with system and thoroughness, ap- 

 plying the tests in rotation to every function of the body : Lungs. Is 

 the air habitually breathed fresh and free from dust? Is the body held 

 up, and is the chest or waist cramped by clothing? Muscles. Is 

 enough physical exertion made to cause deep breaths to be drawn? 

 Food. Is it simple, digestible, and eaten properly? Drink. Is the 

 water pure? Cleanliness, Work and Rest, Clothing, Ventilation, and 

 Mental State may be inquired into until the source of trouble is found 

 and the cause of ill health removed. To give drugs and leave the cause of 

 ill health untouched, is to fail. There are signs of coming weakness or 

 illness which, if heeded and the ways of living improved, will usually 

 prevent illness. Among these signs are headaches, paleness, sensi- 

 tiveness to cold, heavy feeling or pain after meals, constipation. Huxley 

 says that young people should so learn physiology and so understand 

 their bodies that they will heed the first sign of nature^s displeasure, 

 and not wait for a box on the ear. 



