28 WARFARE IN THE HUMAN BODY 



interest of their daily work. But among them orthodoxy 

 has scarcely had time to rear its head, and those who have 

 seen tissues increase or rarefy almost under their own eyes 

 will probably regard with suspicion a hypothetic unique 

 infection, let us say, which has the remarkable power of 

 causing the proliferation of vigorous invasive tissue. Any 

 theory of malignancy which does not co-ordinate their 

 work with all relevant physiological and pathological 

 facts cannot be a true one. But, by taking their labours 

 into account, and linking them with certain physiological 

 and pathological phenomena, it is, I think, possible to 

 show that a fresh general view may reveal its true nature. 

 If it is then seen that there is no invariable single ante- 

 cedent to malignancy, it must be admitted that there are 

 many exciting " causes" of which X-rays are but one. If 

 such is the case, it follows logically that it is in the tissues 

 concerned, their nature and relationship, that the true 

 cause must be found. Those who have learnt by bitter 

 experience how to upset, and happily more often to restore, 

 somatic equilibrium, will be most ready to admit this 

 conclusion. Dynamite may be detonated in many ways, 

 but the scientific cause of the explosion is not the man 

 with the match, or the motive which led to its use, though 

 these may be causes in law or psychology, or even the 

 fulminate cap, but its inherent molecular instability. Per- 

 haps the most valuable work done of late is that which 

 shows the means and methods by which an unstable 

 organism is kept in equilibrium, and an explanation of 

 malignancy must take it into account. 



It is, however, not common for investigators to work 

 under the influence of general ideas which cannot easily 

 be shown to have strict relevance to their objects. Though 

 to avoid this prevents the concoction of fantastic views* 



