586 
ON THERAPEUTICS. 
Their existence requires, primarily, subsidence of nervous and 
vascular excitement, before any restoration of healthy pro¬ 
portion can be permanently established. 
STRUCTURE OR FUNCTION IN DEFECT. 
This second element in disease is, by necessity, the con¬ 
sequence of a condition of the system the reverse of the 
first, if the argument up to the present has conducted us 
to the proper conclusion. Diminished vascular action will 
result from defective nervous influence, and from various 
local derangements connected with debility of vessels or 
mechanical obstruction. The nervous system is much less 
intimately concerned with defective structure or function 
than with excess. Nervous depression may be the cause of 
defective vascular action, but not of necessity ; while in the 
case of excited vascular action, nervous excitement is abso¬ 
lutely a required condition of the disease. 
Defect of structure and function is restored by establishing 
a proper circulation through the affected part, by the re¬ 
moval of any obstruction, or by the restoration of impaired 
nervous action. The system is not so equally capable of 
self-restoration here as it is in the opposite condition. It 
is much easier to conceive the subsidence of an excitement 
than the removal of a depression, without the interference of 
some new influence in the shape of a stimulus. 
The first only requires inaction; the second supposes a 
new activity, which must be originated externally and by 
artificial means, in the form of a medicine or a new r article 
of diet. 
The development of our inquiry has now reached a point 
which permits a retrospect. With the view of ascertaining 
the precise object of the science of therapeutics, we have 
sought to define diseased action, and also the processes by 
which health is restored, independent of artificial aid. The 
results of our investigation may be concisely expressed. 
Disease we have found to consist in a disproportion be¬ 
tween the structure and functions, and the circumstances 
under which they exist; so that, in relation to each other, or 
to those circumstances, they are excessive or defective, as well 
as sometimes altered in constitution or property. Excess 
we found to be the result of an impression retained by the 
nervous system, acting as a stimulus and exciting circulation. 
Defect we have traced to local debility or obstruction, as well 
