2 WARFARE IN THE HUMAN BODY 



resemblances to the instincts of a race ; if the higher associa- 

 tion centres, or " intellect," dealing with doubtful issues 

 over the pyramidal tract, showed a marked likeness to the 

 methods of trial and error necessary in investigating the 

 entirely unknown, it seemed quite probable that obscure 

 phenomena of " volition," instinct, and intellect could also 

 be approached with the light held up to us by social pheno- 

 mena themselves. On advancing further, it even appeared 

 possible, with such a conception to work by, that organic 

 diseases, especially those of development, might in a 

 measure be elucidated by the careful study of social pheno- 

 mena presenting somewhat similar errors of growth and 

 failures of order. It may, indeed, be said that this method 

 of working up from sociological phenomena, to those seen 

 in more advanced and orderly sciences, promises even better 

 results than the reverse process. By it we advance from 

 phenomena among which we live and act, and of which 

 we are a part, to those rendered obscure by their very 

 approach to economy of energy and perfection of machinery. 

 Whether we understand society or not, we can at least 

 draw some simple conclusions as to the ways in which 

 it works, and if it is granted, as a temporary hypothesis, 

 that the principles of organization are similar throughout 

 nature, it is obvious investigation may show that the 

 assumption is justified by the light thrown upon subjects 

 with which we are less familiar. It seems certain that 

 sufficient use has not been made of these weapons of 

 research. 



To criticize accepted methods is to run counter both to 

 class and individual prejudices. This'is true in science as 

 in politics, for to the conservatism which revolts against 

 change, there is added the fear that a new orientation of 

 thought may so discount accepted values as to disturb the 



