KINETIC DISEASES 



were such mechanisms. Catherine the Great and 

 Cromwell undoubtedly were cast in a like virile 

 mold. Many of our conquerors, captains of industry 

 and leaders in the professions have been such dynamic 

 mechanisms. But the phenomenon is as rare as it 

 is marvelous. Even where victory is consummated, 

 and usually long before, the mechanism, continuously 

 subjected to heavy stress, shows the effects of strain 

 in the weakening of some one link, less hardy than the 

 rest, and " disease" results from the destruction of 

 the balance of the beautifully adjusted machinery of 

 normal man. 



Perhaps this weakening may come first in the brain, 

 from whose depressed activity there results a slowing 

 down of the whole mechanism for the transformation 

 of energy and a lessening of strain on other parts of 

 the organism. Such a general effect is seen after the 

 excessive loss of cortical and cerebellar brain-cells as a 

 result of excessive emotional or physical strain, or of 

 infection, auto-intoxication, injury or any other 

 kinetic drive. In some individuals the strain of over- 

 activation is first indicated by an increased activity 

 of the thyroid gland with a consequent increased driving 

 of the whole mechanism in Graves' disease. Or the 

 liver may be unable to bear the strain, and its inability 

 to break down the acid by-products of energy trans- 

 formation may cause structural changes in the kidneys 

 or may act indirectly as one of the causes of cardiovas- 

 cular disease. It is known that cardiovascular disease 

 may result from acute or chronic pyogenic infection, 

 from auto-intoxication, from overwork, from chronic 

 emotional excitation or from the combination of two 



