THE ADRENALS 35 



renal is steadily raising the pressure and the ver- 

 tigo is lessening.) 



Without the manometer it would be impossible 

 to gauge such a case accurately. I suppose there 

 are still a few men who think they can estimate 

 blood- pressure with the finger touch, but failure 

 and error must always be their portion. In all 

 glandular treatment we must bear in mind and 

 follow Hippocrates' doctrine of assisting nature : 

 the vis medicatrix natura is no mere phrase, we 

 more or less unknowingly acknowledge and work 

 with it every day : treatment by rest, by exercise, 

 by dieting, by starving, all are founded on the 

 theory of this unseen force. In this new line of 

 therapy also, we must follow the light of nature, 

 and remember the important fact that none of 

 these glands in life work singly; they help and 

 compensate one another; faulty action of one 

 disturbs the body's harmony, but the healthy 

 glands try to take up the failing work of the 

 affected ones, and to some extent succeed. Follow- 

 ing nature's action intelligently we can often lend 

 a strong helping hand, and by substitution 

 treatment set the weak gland on its legs again. 

 As I have said before, during the greater part of 

 life failing glands can be re-educated. At the 

 same time we must bear in mind that when we 



