168 THE BIOCOSMOS CELLULAR. 



a mass of cells which, still in the body, have 

 declared their independence of the body. 

 This excrescence, as it is called, may be quite 

 indifferent to the rest of the organism, and 

 so not very harmful ; but in the cancer we see 

 an actively destructive cellular mass, which 

 produces a virulent cell-war. Each battling 

 side is an organism of cells like two armies, 

 which grapple as organized. Yet each cell 

 has its principle, or is infected, we say; this 

 is usually the source of the whole trouble. 



At this point rises the very important ques- 

 tion of the place and influence of the Psyche 

 in Pathology. For disease can be dominant- 

 ly psychical as well as physical; indeed it is 

 more or less of both. As the living cell and 

 every organism are composed of the two ele- 

 ments Physis and Psyche so the negative 

 principle starting in the one involves the 

 other. This fact may well be deemed the 

 basic one of all pathological treatment which 

 just now is in the bitterest sort of strife be- 

 tween its two elemental factors, the psychical 

 and the physical. The science of disease 

 should include both. Pathology must at the 

 start seek to give some classification of the 

 great chaotic throng of human ills. We shall 

 run our very brief survey so as to include 

 the negative phases of both Physis and 

 Psyche. 



