INTRODUCTION 7 



the pain (neurotomy). Practical experience teaches that in very 

 many cases treatment must be confined to this method. 



6. The rational or physiological method is based upon scientific 

 observations and experimental investigations of the cause, nature, 

 and pathogenesis of the different diseases, and the action of the 

 individual medicines. The therapeutist seeks to explain scientifi- 

 cally the action of his remedies upon the basis of the contempo- 

 raneous knowledge of therapeutics. Inflammation and the infec- 

 tious diseases, for instance, are caused by the action of micro- 

 organisms and are therefore treated with antiseptics; the diseases of 

 the heart with drugs whose physiological action upon the heart 

 has been exactly investigated (digitalis). 



7. The empirical healing method is, in contradistinction to the 

 rational, based upon practical experience only, without the nature 

 of the disease and the action of the remedies being considered 

 scientifically in connection with each other. This method includes 

 the former common eimployment of potassium nitrate, calomel, 

 phlebotomy, and the other so-called antiphlogistics in the inflam- 

 matory diseases. It should be the endeavor of scientific thera- 

 peutics to extend the rational method more and more and to reduce 

 empiricism. On the other hand, it must not be overlooked that 

 our knowledge of the nature of disease and of the action of healing 

 remedies is not yet so complete that the empirical method can be 

 dispensed with entirely. Furthermore, many valuable thera- 

 peutic measures, which are at this time regarded as rational, were 

 discovered in a purely empirical manner (massage, hydrotherapy, 

 folk-medicines). The statistical healing method is in a certain 

 sense a subdivision of the empirical. It is based upon the statis- 

 tical demonstration of the effectiveness of a remedy or a cure. 



8. The expectant or waiting method leaves the mastery of the 

 disease to the healing powers of nature and resorts to medication 

 only when the automatic regulation of the body fails. It conforms 

 in part to the dietetic method, and is very properly practised more 

 in recent times than formerly. Especially in the infectious dis- 

 eases with a typical course (influenza, contagious pneumonia, 

 strangles, foot-and-mouth disease) is therapeutic interference 



