246 THEORY OF DISEASE. 



when the disturbance, artificially excited, (or the dim- 

 inution of resistance in another part,) exceeds in amount 

 the diseased state to be overcome. 



The accelerated change of matter, and the elevated 

 temperature in the diseased part show, that the resis- 

 tance offered by the vital force to the action of oxygen, 

 is feebler than in the healthy state. But this resistance 

 only ceases entirely when death takes place. By the 

 artificial diminution of resistance in another part, the 

 resistance in the diseased organ is not indeed directly 

 strengthened ; but the chemical action (the cause of the 

 change of matter) is diminished in the diseased part, 

 being directed to another part, where the physician has 

 succeeded in producing a still more feeble resistance to 

 the change of matter (to the action of oxygen). 



A complete cure of the original disease occurs, when 

 external action and resistance, in the diseased part, are 

 brought into equilibrium. Health and the restoration of 

 the diseased tissue to its original condition follow, when 

 we are able so far to weaken the disturbing action of 

 oxygen, by any means, that it becomes inferior to the 

 resistance offered by the vital force, which, although 

 enfeebled, has never ceased to act ; for this proportion 

 between these causes of change is the uniform and ne- 

 cessary condition of increase of mass in the living or- 

 ganism. 



In cases of a different kind, where artificial exter- 

 nal disturbance produces no effect, physicians adopt 

 other* indirect methods to exalt the resistance offered 



