THE STORY OF THE BACTERIA. 57 



ease is as varied as are the organs and tissues 

 of which the body is composed. 



The disturbances in the activities of the 

 body which result from these changes in the 

 structure and action of the various parts have 

 been so long studied that the educated physi- 

 cian is usually able to tell from certain irregu- 

 larities of the body's activities what part or 

 parts it is which are affected. In many cases 

 the physician does, in some he does not, know 

 what the exact cause is of the disturbance. In 

 some cases, when the cause of the disturbance 

 is known, he can remove it either by directing 

 a change in the habits or by the administration 

 of drugs, and then the tendency of the cell 

 communities of the body to get back into their 

 proper condition of themselves alone will 

 restore health. Sometimes this inherent ten- 

 dency is aided by the use of medicines. Some 

 of the body's disturbances tend to pass away 

 of themselves after a longer or shorter period, 

 if they are not so severe as to destroy life. 

 Under these conditions the duty of the physi- 

 cian may be only to aid the body by food and 

 stimulants in the work which it is doing itself. 



