46 PHYSIC 



procedure, becomes a matter of paramount necessity if 

 we would seek to aid it in its continual attempts at curing 

 disease and healing the injuries to which humanity is subject. 



We would, therefore, hazard a brief contribution to its 

 study as it seems to manifest itself in the removal of 

 circulatory stasis, and the pathological effects due to it. 

 Thus, in simple stasis of the blood circulation, a simple 

 appeal to the vaso-motor nervature may be sufficient to 

 effect its removal, by altering the lumina of the affected 

 vessels, in lymphatic stasis the vis medicatrix may be 

 exerted both a fronte and a tergo, while in neural stasis 

 it may operate variously, but especially a tergo, according 

 to which of the nervine circulations is the seat of stasis. 

 If the stasis, however, be more than simple, and if con- 

 solidation and pseudo-organisation have ensued in the 

 elements intra- and extra-vascular, the vis medicatrix pro- 

 ceeds to break down or disintegrate, to move on, and to 

 cause absorption of arrested and effused material, to unlock 

 the closed vasculatures and to re-start the arrested circu- 

 lation by means of molecular disturbance and movement, 

 cell activity, leucocytic and phagocytic, lymphogenesis and 

 vascular absorption, haemal and lymphatic, the clearing of 

 the intra-vascular channels and the restoration of the circu- 

 latory activities of the implicated vasculatures, haemal, 

 lymphatic, and neural. All which procedures indicate that 

 if we are to render scientific and practical assistance in the 

 process of cure, we must seek for inspiration and guidance 

 by an appreciation of what nature has got to do in it, and 

 how she is doing her work. 



For example, if she is breaking down adhesions and 

 obstructions, we must assist her mechanically and otherwise 

 to do it, if she is trying to remove debris, we must help 

 her surgically and medically so far as we can, and if she 

 is engaged in the work of regeneration and repair, then 

 we must remove conditions inimical to her procedure and 

 supply others which will conduce to a successful issue to 

 her beneficent efforts. If there be perforation, rupture, 

 effusion, or exudation, superadded to, or consequent on, 

 stasis, then art and science may both be brought to bear 

 in the securing of a favourable issue. 



The symptomatology of circulatory stasis must vary 



