22 TOXINS AND ANTITOXINS. 



whenever, for one cause or another, their nor- 

 mal elimination ceases. ''Although there are an 

 infinity of diseases," remarked Prof. Bouchard, 

 " there are but a few ways of becoming ill." Of 

 these ways that of autointoxication is the most 

 frequent. ' What else is it, then," says Prof. 

 Charrin, " in the last analysis, but to die from 

 affections of the kidney, the liver, the heart, the 

 lung, etc., if it be not to succumb because of the 

 lack of oxygen, the accumulation of carbonic acid, 

 the influence of the numerous urinary poisons, 

 the action of acids, of salts, of biliary pigments, or 

 the effect of noxious principles, which the hepatic 

 cell must normally destroy or at least attenuate." 



These autointoxications, always due to poor 

 elimination of toxic principles, toxins formed in 

 very great number in the organism, and which 

 the normal modes of evacuation or destruction do 

 not eliminate, are always found to be the cause 

 of all diseases, even those that are manifested by 

 attacks of the cerebro-spinal axis, and that exhibit 

 variously mania, insanity, symptoms of hyper- 

 excitability, etc. 



These autointoxications are controlled by the 

 nervous system, and the latter alone is the cause 

 of a larger number of maladies than is generally 

 believed; in fact, if the mechanism of nutrition be 

 reduced to its most simple elements, it will be 

 seen to consist of the penetration of the foods, of 



