Divisions of Pathology^ 5 



aiul termination of disease, is known as Nosology ( ^ vdaos, sick- 

 ness). 



The object of pathology is primarily the acquisition of knowl- 

 edge of the laws which govern pathological changes (Pafhognomy, 

 from yiyvwcTKU}, to becomc acquainted with) ; in addition, to point 

 how and why certain lesions and reaction^ must follow certain 

 causes. Dealing in its broadest sense with life under abnormal con- 

 ditions, pathology presents itself as Pathological Physiology ; and 

 moreover provides a scientific basis for the prevention and cure of 

 disease, and thus the foundation of rational Prophylaxis (irpo- 

 (pvXdaaw, to prevent or guard against something) and Therapy 

 i] eepaireia, therapcutics, from depaweiiw, to attend, to heal). 



For convenience in instruction pathology is separated into two 

 divisions : General Pathology and Special Pathology. This is done 

 with the purpose of facilitating a systematic presentation of the 

 wide scope of the study; general pathology dealing with the ele- 

 mentary pathological processes and their causes without reference 

 to their site in the body, and being thus introductory to special 

 pathology, in which the various individual phenomena of morbid 

 change in the different organs and systems find expression. 



With the healthy living individual as its starting point, and basing 

 its comparisons upon the average normal structure and ordinary 

 physiological functions of the organism, pathology is dependent 

 upon anatomy, physiology, chemistry and physics as its guides. A 

 clear understanding or comprehension of its processes is impossible 

 without a thorough knowledge of the organization of the animal 

 body; a knowledge which includes the external configuration, the 

 internal structure, the vital phenomena of health and the functions 

 of each of the different organs. Chemistry and physics are essential 

 for such a comprehension, both in their own immediate relations 

 and, too, in connection with zoology and botany bearing upon the 

 interpretation of disease causes. It is possible that one without 

 this knowledge, a layman, may recognize various common morbid 

 conditions (as wounds, fractures of bones, catarrhs, blisters, etc.), 

 may name them correctly, and even treat them correctly on the basis 

 of traditional information empirically acquired ; and by frequent ob- 

 servance of such conditions may accumulate a fair amount of skill 

 in their diagnosis and treatment. This is known as empirical knowl- 

 edge. But to be able to scientifically interpret the complex picture 

 presented by disease, to understand the whole trend of the process, 

 its signs, its inception, and its recovery, and moreover to practice a 



