CHAPTER V. 



CAN DISEASE BE CURED BY COMBATING THE 

 CAUSE ? 



IN the preceding chapter I have attempted 

 to show what it is that we understand scienti- 

 fically by the expression, the cause of disease. 

 I would lay especial stress upon the idea that 

 disease is always a process resulting from the 

 action of a series of factors of unequal value ; 

 these factors may be pictured as acting in an 

 endless chain which it is possible to break 

 asunder at any point. If a link be missing at 

 any point the closing of the chain is made 

 impossible, the disease cannot be 'brought 

 about ; we are able to avert the disease, which 

 is always our first and most important task. 

 Even if the chain be already closed, the dis- 

 ease already in progress, we may still perhaps 

 succeed in warding off the full effect, in part- 

 ing the chain and curing the disease. It re- 

 sults, however, from the unequal value pos- 

 sessed by the separate links of the chain that 

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