ON THE J7S MEDIC ATRIX NATURE" 101 



the juices of the mouth and fauces and fluids imbibed, 

 mechanical agitation by intestinal peristalsis, and still 

 further admixture, chemical action and reaction, with re- 

 sulting changes of composition, physiological or vital, 

 including those of metabolism or nutrition, and resolution 

 or disintegration, secretion, and excretion. 



When the sequence, mechanical, chemical, and physio- 

 logical, of these factors and their work becomes faulty, the 

 vis nature takes to its aid the vis medicatrix, in order to 

 re-establish the status quo ante and maintain the conditions 

 of health and continuity of life, hence we find, under such 

 circumstances, that a change of alimentation is effected, a 

 modified digestion is accomplished, an improved aeration 

 is introduced, and that such improvements are wrought 

 in the details of metabolism that physiologically perfect 

 nutrition is once more in evidence in all its details, with 

 its usual concomitants of health of body and soundness of 

 mind. 



In the performance of this work of aiding the vis naturae 

 to re-establish the condition of health, it is most interesting 

 and highly instructive to notice the methods of procedure 

 of the vis medicatrix, and the agencies it employs in its 

 beneficent work. Thus, it may be noticed to appeal to 

 merely mechanical force, as when it excites hyper-peristalsis 

 or anti-peristalsis, as suits it best, to altered methods of 

 the use of chemical force, to modified forms of the use of 

 metabolic energy, and to a modification and redistribution 

 of the secretory and excretory physiological forces, in order 

 to meet special wants and necessities. Its methods of 

 procedure are necessarily determined by the necessities of 

 the individual occasion, and may require for their carrying 

 out the single or combined use of one or more mechanical, 

 chemical, or physiological agencies, such as increased 

 muscular action of the intestine and blood vasculature, 

 improved oxygenation, local or general, increased phago- 

 cytosis, toxicity and anti-toxicity of body fluids, with im- 

 proved organic hygiene and the procurance of freedom of 

 exit for all excretionary matter from the intestinal canal 

 in its whole extent lungs, kidneys, and skin. The vis 

 medicatrix having tried one agency, or set of agencies, 

 and failed to procure the needed effect, tries another and 



