HISTORY OF THERAPEUTICS 21 



acter, this cannot change the judgment concerning the homoeo- 

 pathic fundamental of potency or dilution, which is far too incon- 

 sistent to be accepted by the healthy human understanding. 



Isopathy. — A variety of homoeopathy, which treated "Hke with Uke" 

 (mqualia cequalihus curantur), e.g., the use of roasted proglottides against 

 tape-worms and the administration of powdered pieces of carcinoma in the 

 treatment of carcinoma. The preparations of the modern organotherapy 

 (thyroid gland against goitre, prostate against diseases of that gland, 

 ovaries in ovarian diseases, spermatozoa in impotence) and also vaccination 

 (Jennerization) show a close relation to the old isopathy. 



Mesmerism. — Mesmer, the originator of mesmerism or the theory of 

 animal magnetism, was a physician in Vienna and Paris (1734 to 1815). He 

 claimed to be able to cure disease by touch and stroking, through a "magnetic 

 force" that passed from him to the patient. Mesmer was the forerunner, on 

 the one hand, of the fraudulent spiritualism, and, on the other, of hypnotism 

 (suggestion), which in recent times has become an important therapeutic 

 factor for man. 



8. THE CELLULAR PATHOLOGY OF VIRCHOW 



Definition of Cellular Pathology. — According to Virchow, there 

 are no general or universal diseases. On the contrary, the patholo- 

 gist finds in every diseased body a considerable, indeed, as a rule, 

 by far the greater part of the organs normal. A diseased body, in 

 which every part is changed, is never seen. The diseased or the 

 inert portion includes only a part of the body. The question that 

 confronts the physician is: where is the disease (vhi est morbus)? 

 and he must be able in every case to point out the location of the 

 malady in the body (principle of localization) . The scientific inves- 

 tigation with reference to the situation of the disease (Sedes morhi) 

 is extended to the tissues and finally to the cells of the organs which 

 show the actual areas of disease (cellular pathology). 



In some diseases, especially many nervous diseases and intoxi- 

 cations, visible anatomical changes are not present in the organs or 

 cells. Nevertheless, the localization of the disease in such cases 

 must be established upon a physiological or chemical basis, even in 

 the absence of anatomical alterations which can be demonstrated 

 by the usual methods. 



