804 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXIX. No. 751 



which shapes the pabulum for intramolec- 

 ular assimilation. This is accomplished in 

 both instances by means of specific ferments 

 that are formed within the cell molecules. 

 These enzymes bring about changes in the 

 pabulum at the relatively low temperature 

 of the body which can be wrought by inor- 

 ganic chemicals only at much higher tem- 

 perature and after prolonged action. 



The cell molecules in each organ of the 

 higher animals have their own peculiar 

 composition and manifest their own pe- 

 culiar function. The chemical composition 

 of the liver differs from that of every other 

 organ in the body. The liver cell molecules 

 cast out their own characteristic products 

 and absorb and assimilate special atomic 

 groups. Moreover, the tempo of metabol- 

 ism probably differs in each organ, or at 

 least the cell molecules of each organ have 

 their own optimum tempo to which their 

 metabolic processes conform. The more 

 complicated the structure of the cell mole- 

 cule, the more energy may be stored in it, 

 the greater its lability and the greater is its 

 susceptibility to altered conditions. In the 

 nervous system the molecular structure is 

 the most complex, the amount of stored 

 energy is at the maximum, and the readi- 

 ness with which this energy may be released 

 is most manifest. In the active central 

 nervous system, or the brain, we have the 

 highest manifestation of the molecular 

 functions that characterize life. The mole- 

 cules that make up this structure are most 

 susceptible to alteration in conditions. In 

 their function they are influenced by slight 

 disturbances in other organs. We have 

 heard much of late concerning the influence 

 of mind upon the body, and many who 

 speak upon this subject seem to assume 

 that there is some entity, called mind, that 

 controls the body to which it is superior, 

 and apart from which it may exist. This 

 dualistic doctrine is as old as the philosophy 



of Plato; it always has been and remains 

 to-day a dogma without scientific support, 

 and as a hypothesis it has led to the dis- 

 covery of no scientific fact. Every attempt 

 to apply it to the treatment of disease has 

 led to the development of conscious or un- 

 conscious charlatanism, and has resulted in 

 more or less marked atavism. The term 

 fiinctional disease is now being used by 

 those who know but little concerning the 

 functions of the body in either normal or 

 abnormal states. It seems to be inferred 

 or assumed by those using this expression 

 that a mysterious power has been given to 

 some to set the mechanism of the disordered 

 body aright, although those supposed to 

 be possessed of this gift have no knowledge 

 of, or but imperfect and superficial ac- 

 quaintance with, the functions of the vari- 

 ous organs and their interrelations. In 

 truth we have no evidence of the existence 

 of a functional disease as thus understood. 

 In health the several organs of the body 

 function harmoniously; in disease there is 

 lack of perfect harmony, and we know of 

 no disease in which this condition does not 

 exist. "We may not always be able to find 

 where the basic fault lies, but shall we for 

 this reason stop looking for it, shut our 

 eyes, give over our search and ask some 

 individual, quite ignorant of the body and 

 its functions, to undertake the task of in- 

 ducing harmonious activities? Of mind 

 apart from the body we know nothing. Of 

 the brain as one of the correlated organs 

 Ave know something, and by continued and 

 patient research we hope to learn much 

 more. We do know that the cell mole- 

 cules of the brain are the most complex, the 

 most highly labile and the most susceptible 

 to external influences of any of the struc- 

 tures that constitute that community of or- 

 gans which makes up the individual. We 

 know that the introduction of such poisons 

 as alcohol, morphine and cannabis indica 



