3 o8 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



PHYSIOLOGY AND THE PREVENTION OF DISEASE. 



By Dr. J. M. RICE. 



THAT disease is far more prevalent than our knowledge of pre- 

 vention justifies can hardly be doubted. An inquiry into the 

 cause of this evil, as well as into the manner in which it can be 

 removed, is therefore, in my opinion, not inopportune. 



With few exceptions, that which is done at present for the 

 prevention of disease is limited to improving the sanitary condi- 

 tions surrounding the individual, in consequence of which two 

 very important factors are left out of consideration : Firstly, that 

 many diseases are caused by unfavorable internal conditions, 

 which for the most part can be traced to imperfect development 

 and improper modes of living ; and, secondly, that exposure to 

 unfavorable external conditions is not necessarily followed by 

 illness, for the reason that the body itself offers a certain amount 

 of resistance to the same. Unless, therefore, our efforts be ex- 

 tended *to the prevention of diseases arising from internal causes 

 as well as to increasing the power of resistance, they must to a 

 considerable extent remain inefficient. 



As the means employed for the purpose of improving the sur- 

 rounding conditions are well known, it will be unnecessary to enter 

 into detail here regarding them. The deleterious substances in 

 the outer world are principally germs and other impurities of 

 various kinds in the atmosphere and food. That diseases arising- 

 from such causes have considerably diminished during the past 

 few decades, owing to the attention given to isolation, disinfec- 

 tion, antisepsis, sewerage, cleanliness, ventilation, etc., is unques- 

 tionable. 



The remaining elements in prevention, namely, the regulation 

 of the internal conditions and the increasing of the power of 

 resistance, are so intimately connected that they are furthered by 

 the same measures. 



Although the conditions upon which the power of resistance 

 depends are for the most part obscure, physicians agree that, 

 other things being equal, an individual is strongly guarded 

 against disease when he is in good health, and that resistance 

 diminishes when the vitality becomes lowered. Now, in order, 

 that there may be good health, normal functional activity of all 

 the organs is essential. By endeavoring to secure good functional 

 action, therefore, we do all possible for increasing resistance to 

 disease caused by unfavorable external influences ; but, in addi- 

 tion, we obviously aid in the prevention of functional derange- 

 ments which, together with their consequences, constitute a large 

 percentage of all diseases. 



