M E D I - C U L T THE A-B-C OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION By B. F. LORANCE, M. D. Religious Instruction and the American Public School Richard G. Badger, Publisher The Gorham Press, Boston MEDI - CULT THE A-B-C OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION B. F. LORANCE, M. D. BOSTON RICHARD G. BADGER THE GORHAM PRESS Copyright, 1924, by Richard G. Badger AU Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America The Gobham Press, Boston, U. S. A. $o tlje Sacred memory of my departed Honed ®neo FARIE BLANKINSHIP LORANCE AND BEN. F. LORANCE, JR. ALSO TO MY DEVOTED DAUGHTERS BERTHA, BESSIE, OTIS, MARTHA, HELEN, AND CELIA TO MY BELOVED GRANDCHILDREN AND TO PEARL S. LORANCE $hta little volume io affectionately dedicated PREFACE There is no more important thing than that every one should have correct ideas concerning matters pertaining to health and disease. The purpose of this little volume is to make clear to the average layman some of the fundamental principles of health and disease, while giving a bird's-eye view of the science of medicine, and those engaged in the practice of the healing art. Auburn, Nebraska, March, 1, 1924. CONTENTS Classification of Those Engaged in the Practice of the Healing Art 15 Regular-Irregulars. Homeopathy-Eclecticism-Christian Science. Divine Healing-Osteopathy-The Chiroprac- tors. Advertising Doctors. Regular Medicine and the Germ Theory of Dis- ease 30 Anthrax-Germs of. Tuberculosis-Tubercle Bacilli. Diphtheria-Bacilli. Blood Poison. Tetanus-Bacilli. Asiatic Cholera-Bacilli. Bubonic Plague-Bacilli. Malaria-Yellow Fever. The Great Black Plague. Germs of Neiser-Spirochaetae Pollidae. Appendicitis. Regular and Irregular Methods Compared. Allopaths-Old School Physicians. The Physician and His Free Advice. Ventilation-The Digestive Apparatus. Heart Disease. The Cults and Government Statistics. Unethical Regular Physicians 71 ILLUSTRATIONS Anthrax Bacilli 35 Tubercle Bacilli 37 Diphtheria Bacilli 39 Typhoid Fever Bacilli 40 Blood Poison Germs 43 Tetanus Bacilli 48 Cholera Bacilli 49 Bubonic Plague Bacilli 49 Malarial Germs in Blood Cells 50 Micrococci of Neiser 51 Spirochaetae Pollidae 51 The Advertising Doctor 26 The Vermiform Appendix 54 The Diseased Appendix ........ 54 The Advertising Chiropractor 69 MEDI-CULT THE A-B-C OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION MEDI-CULT CHAPTER I CLASSIFICATION OF THOSE ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF THE HEALING ART. If all people, everywhere, could be caused to see and under- stand the laws of health and disease, as the Regular physician sees and understands them, the world would be set forward a thousand years, while, at the same time, the sufferings of mankind would be lessened many hundred fold. The in- terests of the Regular medical profession would be thus correspondingly advanced, for we Regular physicians are aware that our sailing is the easiest and most pleasant along that course where intelligence abounds. It is not possible for every man, woman and child to enter a Regular medical college like Bellevue, Yale, Har- vard, Rush, or Johns Hopkins, and there spend several years studying the body in health and disease; however, every in- dividual should make an effort to acquaint himself with the essential facts touching the matter of his physical well- being. I am a Regular physician, one who has devoted many years to the active practice of the healing art. I feel that I have done some good for those who have sought my advice and skill; yet, it has occurred to me that I can do a greater good, and not dishonor my noble calling, if I hand over to my fellowman some of the secrets of the medical profession, as seen by the Regular physician. So, friend, if you will step behind the curtain into the confidence of one who has been a long time on the inside, it is possible that after com- munion with me in the perusal of these pages, you may emerge wiser, better and feel repaid for the time spent. 15 16 Medi-Cult You may be the head of a family, or, if not, you may hope to be such some day; thus it may fall to you at any time to choose a physician for yourself, or for loved ones; hence it would seem natural, that, first of all, you will be interested in a brief classification of those engaged in the practice of the healing art. This classification follows. If you take up any recognized medical directory, such as Polk's Medical Directory of North America, or the American Medical Directory, you will find appearing after the name of every physician, either the letter R., the letter H., or the letter E. The letter R., appearing after a phy- sician's name would mean, that, that physician is a Regular; the letter H., that he is a Homeopath; the letter E., that he is an Eclectic. There are others who practice the healing art, whose names never appear in any medical directory; these are the Christian Scientists, the Divine Healers, the Osteopaths, and the Chiropractors. Because of progress made in recent years, the lines sep- arating the Regulars, the Homeopaths, and the Eclectics, have been almost wiped out, so that these three groups have become merged into one great body; hence, in these pages, this united body will be regarded as the Regular Medical profession. However, a few lines will be devoted to Homeo- pathy and Eclecticism, by way of explanation, because those belonging to these two sects have aided materially in the advance of scientific medicine. Homeopathy In 1810 a physician by the name of Hahnemann, who lived in the German province of Saxony, wrote a book called the Organon, and, by it promulgated what was then known as a "New School" of medicine, Homeopathy; so Hahnemann was the first Homeopath. On page three of his Organon, Hahnemann used these words, "MOST DISEASES ARE Classification 17 OF SPIRITUAL ORIGIN AND SPIRITUAL NA- TURE, THEIR CAUSE, THEREFORE, IS NOT PER- CEPTIBLE TO THE SENSES." For a long time many believed this doctrine taught by Hahnemann; but it must be remembered that Hahnemann lived before the days of the microscope; when the microscope came into the scientific world, throwing its searchlight upon the various germs which produce disease, a readjustment of scientific views became necessary. Eclecticism In 1826 some physicians assembled in New York and or- ganized a medical association, calling themselves Eclectics, or a "NEW SCHOOL." In their declaration they used this language: "WE WILL ADOPT, IN PRACTICE, WHATEVER REMEDY CAN BE PROVED TO POS- SESS CURATIVE PROPERTIES, AND MODIFY, IN PRACTICE, ANY METHOD WHICH FRESH DIS- COVERY MAY PROVE ERRONEOUS, OR SUSCEP- TIBLE OF IMPROVEMENT." It was practically one hundred years ago when that dec- laration quoted above was set forth to the world. At that time scientific medicine was far less advanced than to-day, and men were more dogmatic in their opinions, hence the group who then formed that association of Eclectics, doubt- less felt justified in the position they took. However, in the light of the facts of the present, it is, seemingly, unnecessary for any class of physicians to set themselves apart and make such claims as those who lived back in 1826. The following are the facts at this time:-There are the great medical colleges, such as at Oxford, Vienna, Paris, Berlin and other European centers, and these are all Regular medi- cal colleges, teach their students Regular medicine, and their students, when graduated, are Regular Physicians. Then, in our own country, Bellevue, Jefferson, Johns Hopkins, and 18 M edi-Cult a medical department in almost every state university in the Union-all Regular medical colleges-all run at an immense expense, graduating Regular Physicians, requiring them, be- fore graduation, to put in several years in the study of their chosen profession, and, demanding, that before entrance, they shall possess, at least, a good high school education. In the light of these facts, can it be imagined that such colleges, as those named, are teaching their students something else be- sides to "ADOPT, IN PRACTICE, WHATEVER REM- EDY CAN BE PROVED TO POSSESS CURATIVE PROPERTIES, AND, TO MODIFY, IN PRACTICE, ANY METHOD WHICH FRESH DISCOVERY MAY PROVE ERRONEOUS OR SUSCEPTIBLE OF IM- PROVEMENT?" Christian Science In 1866 Mary Baker Eddy brought forth a treatise, which established the so-called Christian Science. Now, there is nothing new or complex about Christian Science; it simply teaches the unreality of disease; that is, it teaches that there is no such thing as pain or disease. In 1810 Hahnemann taught that "Diseases are of spiritual origin and spiritual nature, their cause, therefore, is not per- ceptible to the senses." Fifty years later comes Mary Baker Eddy, and teaches that there is no such thing as disease. At first thought it might not seem so, yet a little reflection will enable one to arrive at the conclusion, that Mrs. Eddy's doc- trine is more scientific and rational than that of Doctor Hahnemann, because Hahnemann was absolutely wrong, while Mrs. Eddy's principles have some working value. Mrs. Eddy's doctrine rests upon a law which has been in constant use since the foundation of the world, by every one engaged in any way in the handling of people, or in the practice of the healing art. The trouble is, Mrs. Eddy goes infinitely too far along a line which, reasonably followed out, is pro- Classification 19 ductive of much good. Every sensible mother, since the days of Eve, has made use of the principles involved in the teach- ings of Mrs. Eddy. When Cain, as a little boy, fell down and bumped his nose, Mother Eve, no doubt, said: "Ah, Cainie, that doesn't amount to anything; tut, tut, tut, you'll never be a man if you cry over a little thing like that; come, dry that tear and be brave;" and, today, we hear sensible mothers on every hand making use of the same old philos- ophy. Wouldn't it be a dunce of a mother who, every time Tommie should get a little bump or scratch, would begin to jump up and down, wring her hands and shed tears. The most illiterate individual understands by intuition, that the Tommie, who receives such treatment at the hands of his mother will, as a child, be a simpleton-a booby, and, when a man, a worthless cipher without sand, sense, or nerve. To teach all persons to magnify their joys and minimize their ills is common sense, but not Christian Science; to teach them to deny the existence of all ills may be Christian Science, but not common sense. Let us go into the dentist's office. There sits a patient ready to have a tooth extracted. Does the dentist approach the patient and, in a doleful tone, with a long face, the corners of his mouth drawn down, say, "It's an awful thing to have a tooth pulled, I'm afraid you can't stand the pain, you might faint, you might die from loss of blood, or from heart failure; I have known people to lose their lives from having a tooth extracted." Does the dentist talk that way? No, the dentist, though he may be, by nature, a blockhead, knows enough by intuition not to approach the patient in the manner indicated above. What does he do? He quietly, but firmly, goes up to the patient, saying: "Pshaw, its nothing to have a tooth pulled; you'll not even feel it; that will not hurt you; I'll have it out before you know it;" and zip-bang- the tooth is out, and the patient is smiling. An Eddyite, travelling along exactly the same line, would go a few steps 20 Medi-Cult farther than the dentist in an effort to make the patient believe there is no such thing as pain, calling his treatment Christian Science, while not pulling the tooth; the dentist stops within reason with his argument, pulls the tooth, and all people endowed with gumption call it common sense. To which crowd do you belong, the crowd endowed with gump- tion, or the crowd endowed with Christian Science? Let us look at the Regular physician. He enters the sick room smiling; he speaks encouragingly to his patient, calling attention to all the good symptoms, but never mentions the bad; says, "Oh, you are doing nicely, your pulse is better, your temperature is lower, you are getting right along, and will be out of this in a few days." He says these things to the patient, though he may, aside, give a different view to the relatives, and he takes this course because he recognizes the effect of the mind over the body, understanding, as any sensible layman understands, that a depressed, grief-stricken mind means to its possessor a depressed, grief-stricken body. While he does all in his power to cause his patient to take an optimistic view of her ills, he does not stop at that, like Mrs. Eddy, but he uses his intelligence to devise means to correct all physical defects. The microscope was not in use a century ago, and at that time very little was known about pathology, and the origin of disease. From these facts and many others it seems per- fectly clear that Hahnemann was absolutely honest, though deceived, when, in 1810 he taught that "Most diseases are of spiritual origin and spiritual nature, and their cause is therefore not perceptible to the senses." Any man who is honest in his convictions, though absolutely wrong in his conclusions, is entitled to admiration. We are, therefore, inclined to respectfully salute, even if we do not actually take off our hats to Doctor Hahnemann. There is just as good evidence, that Mary Baker Eddy was honest, and believed implicitly in her teachings. She, Classification 21 no doubt has seen, as every regular physician many times has seen, persons lying prostrate in bed, apparently with some grave malady who, when told by some physician or other person, in a manner happening to carry conviction, that there is nothing wrong, would get out of bed and go about their duties perfectly restored. There are many cases where such a course will work admirably, though it cannot always be made to work even in cases where it is the treatment clearly applicable. Mary Baker Eddy, no doubt, has often seen, as has every practicing physician many times seen, patients, though sick with some real malady, brighten, cheer up, actually grow better, and recover solely from being encouraged, buoyed up, admonished to be hopeful, and tactfully and intelligently lead to look on the bright side. This smiling, buoying, en- couraging, optimistic bearing on the part of the attending physician is proper, and even essential, to the attainment of desirable results in every case of sickness. The trouble is that Mary Baker Eddy and her followers would apply their treatment to tumors, Asiatic cholera, bubonic plague, tuber- culosis, diphtheria, big pus cavities, and every other imagin- able ill. They certainly are therefore wrong. Dowieism or Divine Healing I am no atheist, no infidel. I believe that every one should look to the Supreme Being for aid and guidance; but I believe the Creator expects us to use all the agencies and powers placed at our disposal to help ourselves, and I be- lieve to neglect to make use of these Divinely appointed means is sin. As a practicing physician, I daily call upon the Supreme Being to aid me in my efforts, and I am perfectly willing that any patient, parent, relative or friend of a patient shall ask Divine aid, but I hold it to be my sacred duty to, at all 22 Medi-Cult times, use my brain, my hands, and all other agencies be- stowed by an All Wise Creator, and I hold it to be a grave sin to neglect these things. God gave us the soil, the moisture, the herds in the vale, the coal and iron in the earth, the forests on the hill; created us with hands and brain, and He expects that we will, by industry, so develop these agents as to provide ourselves with food, shelter, and raiment while in a state of health. This statement no one will deny. If the Creator placed upon this earth the fruits, the grains, the fish of the sea, the fouls of the air, and gave us hands and intelligence to make use of them for our sustenance while in a state of health, how can it be imagined that He would fail to place agents and remedies at our disposal to be used for the body, when sickness shall overtake it. Let us be reasonable creatures, thanking God for the infin- ite number of things placed on the earth for our use while in a state of health; thanking Him likewise for those things placed here for our use when sickness shall overtake us, ever remembering that, under the one condition, as under the other, it is rational to assume, that the Divine plan con- templates, that we shall industriously use our hands, our brains, and all other available means, at all times. Osteopathy In 1874, A. T. Still of Baldwin, Kansas, later of Kirksville, Mo., brought forth a New System of healing. Still contends that disease has its beginning in an obstruction of some kind to the free flew of the vital fluids; that this obstruction may be in the nature of misplaced bones, spines, muscles, tendons, nerves or other means. Still and his followers aim to restore their patients to health by a series of adjustments, the ob- ject of which is to put into their proper places all misplaced organs or tissues. Classification 23 By this system of rubbing and manipulation, without the use of drugs or surgery, it is proposed to cure all forms of disease. Some things are half truth, even if they are the other half false, but Osteopathy comes short of being the truth, even to the amount of the fractional part of one per cent. Every person who is old enough to read these lines has seen cases where manipulation of the parts was the sane and only treatment applicable, as, for instance, fractured bones, dislocated joints, and a few other like conditions; but such accidents constitute in their sum total, only the frac- tional part of one per cent, of all physical ailments. When manipulation and adjustment is necessary, as in the case of fractured bones and dislocated joints, who is better qualified to do this manipulating and adjusting than the Regular phy- sician and surgeon? Do you stop to think that the Regular physician and sur- geon, in these days, before he can get a diploma and license to practice the healing art, must put in several years in medi- cal college, and, before he enters upon the study of his pro- fession, must have a good scientific education. And, do you know, that during his course in medical college, he must dissect every part of the human body ? That he must actually see with his own eyes, and touch with his own fingers, every separate bone, muscle, nerve, artery, vein, gland, ligament, cartilege, fluid, vessel, and other tissue, and must know ac- curately the name, function and proper relation of every one of these parts, from the largest bone in the body down to that cell, which can be seen only with the most powerful microscope. When you, to-day, meet an individual who has graduated from any Regular medical college in the civilized world in the last twenty-five years, you may be sure that you are looking upon one who, in the dissecting room and hospital, has actually seen with his eyes, and touched with his fingers, every part of the human body to the smallest fragment, and you are looking upon one who represents that 24 Medi-Cult class of individuals, the Regular physicians and surgeons, who have had a better opportunity than all others to thus study and observe the anatomy of man in all its phases. The fact of the matter is, the osteopath rarely, if ever, is called to treat fractures, dislocations and other such injuries, the very conditions where manipulation and adjustment of parts is necessary. Why isn't the Osteopath called to treat such injuries? Because, in the first place, he does not wish to be called, as he knows himself that he has not the neces- sary knowledge and skill to treat such cases; then, in the next place, most people have enough gumption not to call him. Chiropractors In 1903, B. J. Palmer of Davenport, Iowa, brought into evidence another "New School" of treatment, and called it the Chiropractic method. The Chiropractors teach that di- sease is caused by pressure or impingement upon nerves. The treatment consists, therefore, in adjustments by the hand, so directed as to relieve whatever pressure or impinge- ment may exist. During the first quarter of this, the twentieth century, a number of Osteopathic and Chiropractic schools have sprung up in the United States, graduating men and women who have gone out into communities to practice their cult. The members of the Regular medical profession are disposed to frown upon this condition of things with a very scowling kind of a frown, for the reason that they consider that what- ever good may be accomplished by the Osteopathic or Chiro- practic treatment is accomplished through the application of the principles of massage. What is massage? Look in any dictionary and see for yourself. You will find that massage is "A scientific method of treating some diseases, such as paralysis, neuralgia, and some forms of joint disease, by systematic manipulations." Massage is as old as the human Classification 25 race and has been practiced by all nations since the beginning of history. In the European countries, Regular physicians, when they have patients whose ailments require massage, send such patients to an individual, who practices massage. In this country every graduate nurse understands the art of massage, and, under the direction of the attending physician, administers massage, when that treatment is deemed best. If Doctor Osteopath and Doctor Chiropractor will come out in the open and tell the public that they are Masseurs, that they practice massage, producing evidence that they have had sufficient training to warrant intelligent people in credit- ing them with having adequate skill to scientifically practice that art, all Regular medical men, and all lovers of truth everywhere will warmly take them by the hand, bidding them God speed. As things are to-day, the Osteopaths and Chiropractors, not having had the training, are not prepared to make diag- noses and figure out in a scientific way the primary causes in the many different forms of disease to which the human race is heir. Nevertheless, when given an opportunity to do so, the men practicing these cults will, with their rubbing and manipulating, undertake to treat diabetes, Bright's Disease, tuberculosis, cancer, diphtheria or any other known ailment, when, as must be clear to any layman, such treatment is un- scientific and misapplied. The human body is a most delicate mechanism, more deli- cate and wonderful than any piece of machinery ever devised by man; yet all mechanics know that, if any man-made ma- chine is to be kept in good running order, defects in its mechanism, when they occur, must be discovered and cor- rected without delay. The members of the Regular medi- cal profession know that the world at all times is fairly teeming with people doomed to early death with disease far advanced to the incurable stage-disease which might have 26 Medi-Cult been corrected, had the true nature thereof been discovered in the very beginning. What wonder, then, that Regular medical men scowl and look askance at those who practice Osteopathy, Chiropractic, and the other cults? Advertising Doctors WHEN OTHERS FAIL CONSULT DOCTOR SO and SO - years in , the old Reliable SPECIALISTS IN CHRONIC AND NERVOUS DISEASES OF MEN AND WOMEN I cure all curable diseases of the Nose, Throat, Lungs, Stomach, Bowels, Liver. Rheumatism, DISEASES AND DISORDERS OF MEN Young, Middle Aged and Old Men Treatment by mail. Examination free. Call or write for booklet. P. O. Box -. Office hours, - to -. Office. Accompanied by the doctor's portrait, the above advertise- ment, with certain words obliterated for obvious reasons, was clipped from a Western newspaper of recent date, and is such as may be seen in almost any paper any day. This is the advertisement of a physician, who belongs to that class Classification 27 known as advertising doctors. Many people of fair intelli- gence seem to look upon such an advertisement as this, as one that is perfectly proper and legitimate, and seem to con- sider that the physician, who thus advertises, is one, who is an eminent specialist in the medical profession, respected and honored by other physicians. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Reader, you can look about you in the section in which you live, and you, no doubt, can point out a man of your acquaintance with whom you would not asso- ciate ; a man, who was never known to receive an in- vitation to attend any social gathering of respectable people; a man who would be unanimously rejected by any church or fraternal society to which he should apply for membership in the neighborhood where he is known. That man in his relation to other members of his com- munity can be said to be an outcast. The position in which that acquaintance of yours stands in his relations to other citizens is the exact position in which the advertising doctor stands in his relation to the medical profession; he is an outcast. Such a physician as the one whose advertise- ment and picture appear above, is one whom your family physician, or any other family physician would refuse to recognize, if he should meet him on the street; he is one who would not be allowed to become a member of any medical society or association. Honorable physicians have their clubs, their banquets, their councils, but the advertising doctor, such as the one whose picture appears above never is seen there, never will be seen there. If you walk about any town of three thousand population you will fine at least eight or ten signs such as the following: A. SMITH, M. D. PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON DOCTOR BROWNING, M. D. You may also see such cards in the local papers. These are legitimate advertisements, as they are merely announce- 28 Medi-Cult ments, indicating to the public, respectively, the location of the office of A. SMITH, M. D, and DOCTOR BROWN- ING. Possibly A. SMITH, M. D., is your family physi- cian. If not Smith, then Dr. Browning or some other is your family physician, and that family physician, if you trust him, put confidence in him, is the best friend you can possibly have. Why? Because, in the first place, the law makes it so that he must possess knowledge and skill, and then as a matter of selfish interest, if for no other reason, he will give you a square deal; for he understands that his only hope of building up and maintaining a lucrative practice, since he is dependent upon his local community, is to estab- lish a reputation for efficiency and square dealing. If you have some ailment, which, in your judgement is grave or obscure, and, therefore might require the services of a spe- cialist, go with it to your family physician. If, in reality, the ailment is decidedly serious or obscure, your family phy- sician is the only one who can be trusted to safely direct you to the proper specialist, or call such a specialist in if his services be needed. If your case is one of serious eye trouble, or grave ear disease, or one requiring the skill of a trained surgeon, your family physician, if consulted, will send or take you to some specialist in the city. For the sake of convenience we will suppose the name of the specialist is Dr. Jones. Well, when you arrive in the city, and go to that specialist, you will find no more elaborate advertisement or announcement than simply plain, DR. JONES Dr. Jones is a real specialist in his line. All the adver- tising Dr. Jones ever does, is, by actual work and worth, to convince the family physicians within a radius of one or two hundred miles of the city in which he lives that he possesses Classification 29 unusual skill in his line, and will give all his patients efficient service and a square deal. What recompense will your family physician receive for his interest and the course he has taken in sending you to Dr. Jones? He will receive the following recompense and nothing more: First, he will be conscious of the fact that he has taken you to one who possesses real skill, one who can and will give you able and conscientious service. Second, after all is over, knowing that at the hands of Dr. Jones you have been the recipient of high-grade honest effort, that family physician will, in the future, naturally look to you for gratitude, influence, and patronage. Third, he will receive the fee which you pay him for his interest in the case. These three items will constitute the sole recompense your family physician will receive in this or any similar case. There seems to be a somewhat widespread belief among the laity that the family physician, when he refers or sends a patient to a specialist, receives from that specialist a fee in the way of a commission. On this point it can be safely stated that such a practice is unknown among honorable physicians. Your family physician and the specialist, Dr. Jones, live in comfortable homes and have money, influence and standing in their respective communities, because they have established reputations for fair dealing among their patrons and associ- ate physicians. The advertising doctors, like the one shown at the head of this chapter, live in comfortable homes and have money, because they draw to themselves patrons by means of their flaming advertisements; but they are poor in- deed, for they have no friends among the respectable laity, and not even an acquaintance with the Regular medical pro- fession. . . . No family physician ever sent one of these ad- vertising physicians a patient. CHAPTER II REGULAR MEDICINE AND THE GERM THEORY OF DISEASE It will be recalled that the title of this little volume is Medi-Cult. The pages which have preceded have been de- voted largely to a discussion of those engaged in the practice of the healing art known as Irregulars; the remaining pages will be given over for the most part to a consideration of Regular medicine. It is possible that some who may read these lines will be disposed to honestly object to the Chris- tian Scientists, Divine Healers, Osteopaths, and Chiroprac- tors being thrown into one big group and called Irregulars, but everything must have a name. Some writers use the word Cult to define a group engaged in the practice of the healing art like the Osteopaths or the Chiropractors; so any one not pleased with the word Irregulars as applied to those practicing the healing art, as listed above, may choose some other terminology more pleasing. This little volume was given the title MEDI-CULT since it is a discussion of Regular medicine and the Cults. The science of medicine is as old as the pyramids of Egypt; so, also is the science of surgery, for in that ancient day the physicians studied not only the healing art, but they understood the art of preserving the body after death; hence embalming and the mummies which are over six thousand years old. So Regular medicine has existed from the earliest dawn of civilization to the present moment, having been improved, of course, from year to year and from age to age, by the addition of new and approved knowledge re- garding the body, disease, theory, and practice; and by the 30 The Germ Theory of Disease 31 lopping off of all those things proven to be false. Hence the Regular physician, to-day, practices the healing art, not as the ancients did, nor as his fathers did a century ago, but in the light which we have at the present moment resulting from the accumulated experience of the ages. Then who, and what are Regulars? This question cannot be answered in a word, but facts may aid in clearing up that query; so here are some facts. Every naval vessel of every nation in the world has its corps of physicians and surgeons and every one of those physicians and every one of those sur- geons is a Regular. Every nation in the world has its stand- ing army and every regiment of every standing army has its physician and surgeon, and every such physician and sur- geon is a Regular. Every railroad company in the world has its corps of surgeons, from its chief surgeon in the great central point, all along its lines, down to the humblest local surgeon on the remotest outpost, and every surgeon in the employ of every railroad of every country on the globe is a Regular. The great old-line life-insurance companies write insurance in almost every village and hamlet in the civilized world; and, in every locality where these old reliable com- panies do business a physician must be secured to carefully examine every individual applying for life insurance to de- termine whether such individual is physically sound, and, whether it would be safe to place insurance upon his life. No company with any business sense would wish to place, say $5,000 insurance, on the life of a man, who is physically unsound, and, who might die in two or three years, with con- sumption, diabetes, Bright's Disease, or heart disease. These companies understand, that, if they are not to become bank- rupt, they must have their applicants examined by physi- cians, who know and understand the human body in all its minutest anatomy and physiology, and, who are capable of detecting the faintest symptoms of disease; hence they choose 32 Medi-Cult Regular physicians for this work. So, it may be said that every examiner for every old-line life-insurance company in the world is a Regular physician. It must not be understood that the army, navy, railroad, and insurance officials boy- cott Christian Scientists, osteopaths, and chiropractors; for such is not the case. The thing is just this way, it is required of all physicians and surgeons, who wish to hold such posi- tions, as indicated above, that they have thorough training in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and materia medica, and possess accurate knowledge of all diseases and treatments, and it so happens that only Regular physicians and surgeons are rated as possessing such training. What would the navies of the world, or the armies, or the great railroad com- panies, or the reliable old-line life-insurance companies- what would any of them or all of them do with practitioners of the healing art, who believe, like the followers of Mrs. Eddy, that there is no such thing as disease; or like the osteopaths, that disease is caused by the slipping of some bone, spine, or tissue into an abnormal position; or like the chiropractor, that disease is caused by pressure or impinge- ment on some nerve? Imagine a Christian Scientist, an osteopath, or a chiropractor going over to the United States Navy, or to the military authorities and applying for the job of looking after the health of our laddies in the service. Wouldn't that be a huge joke? But a joke like that will never happen for the good and sufficient reason that no practitioner of either of these cults will ever put himself in the ridiculous position of asking for a job where every proposition must stand on its own merit. If it would be ridiculous for a Christian Scientist, an osteopath or a chiropractor to assume to make physical examinations for life-insurance companies, or to look after the health of our boys in the navy or stand- ing army, how is it less ridiculous for him to assume to examine you in a search for disease, my reader, or to look The Germ Theory of Disease 33 after your health or the health of any layman? Are you of less worth than a man taking out life insurance, or our boys in the navy or the military service ? Up to three-quarters of a century ago the Regular medical profession had little to offer in opposition to Hahnemann's theory that "Most diseases are of spiritual origin and spiri- tual nature and their cause is, therefore, not perceptible to the senses"; but about the year 1845 a great revolution began. At about that time a virulent disease was raging among the cattle and sheep herds of North Europe. So fierce were the ravages of that disease that the cattle and sheep industries of those sections seemed on the point of becoming exter- minated. But some scientists of that day, chief of whom was M. Pasteur, that illustrious son of France, conceived the idea that the disease in question must be due to some germ invisible to the naked eye, which succeeded in finding an entrance into the bodies of the animals, causing their sickness and death. So they set about making a diligent search with the microscope, and, after a time were rewarded by the discovery of a germ which has been denominated the Anthrax bacillus, or, speaking of more than one, the Anthrax bacilli. These scientific men studied the nature of these germs and were soon able to tell the farmers how to prevent their spread among the herds; thus the disease was stamped out, the cattle and sheep industries saved, and many millions of dollars added to the wealth of the farmers of that country. At about the same time a fatal disease was epidemic among the silk worms of South Europe and the silk industry of those sections seemed on the point of being ruined. This same man, M. Pasteur, began a search with the microscope, soon being rewarded with the discovery of a germ, which he proved beyond any doubt to be the cause of the disease. He taught the silk growers how to exter- minate the germs, thus the silk industry of South Europe was saved and many million dollars more added to its wealth. 34 Medi-Cult While these researches were going on, the members of the Regular medical profession were working upon the idea that disease in man must, in many instances, be due to germs invisible to the naked eye, but it was not until about forty years ago that we began to be rewarded with results. It was in 1884 that the great Regular physician, Dr. Koch of Germany, discovered with the microscope, the germs which, if taken into the human body produce consumption or tuber- culosis. Then a little later Klebs and Loeffler discovered the germs which, if taken into the human body produce diph- theria; then the germs which produce typhoid fever were discovered by Eberth and Koch. Farmer (A) looks through his window out into the open, and discovers out there a large number of animals; the in- stant he sees those animals he recognizes them as cattle. He knows all about cattle; he sees they are headed toward his field of half grown wheat; he knows what will happen if they enter that wVeat; his crop will be destroyed; he knows what to do to keep those cattle out; he does that thing and thus saves his crop. Farmer (B) looks through his window and sees out there a large number of animals, instantly recog- nizing them as sheep; he knows all about sheep; he sees they are about to enter his field of young growing corn; he knows if those sheep get into that corn it will be destroyed; he knows what to* do to keep them from entering, he does that thing and his corn is saved. Likewise, the Regular physician of to-day looks through a window-the window of the microscope-and sees a group of objects; the instant he sees them he recognizes them as those objects, which, if taken into the human body, will cause consumption or tuberculosis. He looks through the same window again and sees another group of objects, recognizing them at once as those little objects or germs which, if taken into the body of man will produce diphtheria. Again he looks through this little window The Germ Theory of Disease 35 of the microscope at a still different type of germ, which, upon finding a way into the body of any individual, will cause typhoid fever. So on, for a long list of diseases, the members of the Regular medical profession, in the last forty years, have been searching out and studying the germs which act as causative factors, have been teaching the laity how to exterminate the germs and how to prevent their entrance into the human body. Great good came to the human race as a result of the discovery of America by Columbus; great good came to mankind from the discovery of electricity, the invention of the telegraph, the telephone, the steam engine, wireless tele- graphy, and other advancement; but I believe one would be well within the truth, if he should say that the greatest good, that has come to man through all the ages has come by virtue of the work done, in the last forty years, by the members of the Regular medical profession along the lines just men- tioned. Anthrax We will now consider some of the germs which cause disease; the first on the list will be the Anthrax bacilli. If a little pus be collected from the sore of a person or an animal afflicted with anthrax, and taken to a physi- cian, that physician will smear that pus on a little piece of glass called a microscope slide, take it through a process of coloring, then place the glass under the microscope, and he will see a picture; the picture he sees through the microscope is just as clear and distinct, when thus seen, as the picture you see here with your naked eye (Fig 1). These little rods hanging together in long lines and festoons are the anthrax bacilli, those little germs which, if taken into the body of either man or beast will rapidly multiply into Figure i Anthrax Bacilli 36 Medi-Cult millions and trillions in number, disorganizing the blood of the individual, producing sickness, and often, death. Tuberculosis Tuberculosis is denominated by the medical profession "The Great White Plague." It is called great because the ravages wrought by tuberculosi are indeed appalling. It is called white, because those who contract tuberculosis turn pale and usually perish. It is called plague because truly it is such. Do you know that more people die of tuberculosis than of bubonic plague, Asiatic cholera, yellow fever, small pox and diphtheria combined? Statistics show this to be the case. One hundred and fifty thousand people die in the United States every year from tuberculosis, which is more than have died from yellow fever in the last one hundred and fifteen years. We may have tuberculosis of the skin, of bone, of the kidney or almost any other organ, but in these pages, when speaking of tuberculosis reference is made to that disease in the lungs only. If some sputum from the lung of a person suffering with tuberculosis be taken to a Regular physician, that physician will smear a little of the material upon a microscope slide, dry it and take it through a certain process of staining, after which the slide is placed under the oil immersion lens of the microscope and there will appear a beautiful picture, that picture is just as clear and distinct as the picture you see here with your unaided eye. The little rod-like objects are the tubercle bacilli. They are the germs discovered by Koch in 1884, and are the minute organisms, which, if carried from the lung of an individual sick with tuberculosis into the lung of a healthy person will multiply into countless billions in numbers, after a time destroying the vitality of the lung of the person thus infected, death in most instances being The Germ Theory of Disease 37 the ultimate result. In Figure (2) you see the tubercle bacilli as they appear under the microscope. Tuberculosis is infectious and contagious. The tubercle bacilli swarm by the millions in the material thrown off from the lungs of tubercular patients. Physicians do all they can to prevent the spread of this frightful scourge. They in- struct their tubercular patients, when coughing, to hold a handkerchief or other cloth over the mouth to keep the tuber- cular laden spray from being thrown about the room; they direct that all handkerchiefs, cloth or con- tainers be handled with care and burned after being used a short time; but more than this needs to be done. Many states now have a sanitarium where those per- sons, so unfortunate as to contract tuber- culosis, are taken for treatment at public expense, until they either recover or perish. Doubtless before long all state will provide institutions of this kind. If that friend sitting by your side should suddenly become insane, he would immediately be taken in charge by the con- stituted authorities; within twenty-four hours be adjudged, and taken to the state insane asylum. Why? Because he would be considered dangerous to himself and to those about him; but he would not be more dangerous to those near him than is the tubercular patient. Every state has an asylum for its insane patients, a school for its blind, and one for its deaf-mute children; an institute for the feeble minded, a state university; one or more state normal schools and other institutions. All these institutions were built by the state and all running expenses are paid by the state; then why should not every state have a sanitarium for its tuber- cular patients? The establishment of such an institution would be the most economical thing that any state could do. In every state this should be regarded as the crying Fig. 2. Tubercle Bacilli 38 Medi-Cult need-the burning question of the hour. It is the thing that is being urged by the Regular medical profession all over the land. Many eminent physicians believe, that, if every state would adopt some such plan as indicated above for the segre- gation and treatment of all those so unfortunate as to be afflicted by the malady in question this dread disease, tuber- culosis, would be stamped from the earth in a few generations. Tuberculosis is a stealthy disease, often beginning, not with a cough, but with vague symptoms, such as headache, tired feeling, poor appetite, complaint of stomach trouble, etc. Now, it is not meant here to be severe or unkind toward any one, but, considering the appalling nature of this malady, it does seem almost a disaster that the osteopaths, the chiro- practors and others of like type should, with their flaming advertisements, draw to themselves for treatment, so many people complaining with the early manifestations of this direful scourge. This statement is made here because it is just when these vague early signs are manifesting themselves that scientific examinations, diagnosis, and treatment must be applied, if the sufferer is to be saved from an early death, and his associates spared the misfortune of being infected by the sick one. In passing it may be stated that the early signs of diabetes, Bright's Disease, cancer of any of the internal organs, and many other vicious ailments are just as vague and indefinite as are those of tuberculosis; all of which adds to the gravity of the situation. The merest dunce knows that, when a fire starts in a building it must be extin- guished at once, if that building is to be saved and the ad- joining buildings spared the disaster of a general conflagra- tion-yes, that fire must be extinguished immediately-not by denying its existence, not by prayer, not by pulling at the door posts and rafters of the building, not by rubbing the shingles on the roof by way of "adjustments," not by any The Germ Theory of Disease 39 of these "New Methods." That fire must be extinguished by the application of that scientific law, old as eternity, that fire and water are incompatible. Diphtheria When a child has diphtheria, the attending physician may take from the throat of the patient a little of the discharge, smear it upon some blood serum in a test tube, then put the tube in a warm place for twenty-four hours, then put a little of the resulting growth upon a microscopic slide, stain and examine; when he will see a picture as distinctly as you see this picture here with your naked eye (Fig. 3). The little objects shown in the illustration are the germs discovered by Klebs and Loeffler in 1883, and, which, if carried into the throat of a child will rapidly multiply causing the individual to fall sick with diphtheria. Up to the year 1893 statistics, in cities where records could be kept, showed that fifty per cent, of all children, taken sick with diphtheria, died. About the year 1893 scientific men developed a serum (diphtheria antitoxins), which, since that time has come into almost universal use by the members of the Regular medical profession, when treating diphtheria. Statistics now show that, under this plan of treatment less than twelve per cent, of diphtheria patients die. It is believed by competent authorities that if all diphtheria cases could be seen when the sickness first starts, and then treated with diphtheria antitoxine, there would be almost no fatalities from this disease. The nature of diphtheria is this, the germs as shown above find a lodgement in the throat, there multiply rapidly, producing a membrane, at the same time generating a poison, which is absorbed into the blood of the patient producing fatal results in such a large number of Fig. 3. Diptheria Bacilli 40 Medi-Cult cases if not counteracted in some way. The poison manufac- tured by the diphtheria germs is one of the most deadly known. The antitoxins serum, which was brought forth in 1893 is injected into the blood of the diphtheria patient for the purpose of neutralizing the poison floating therein. Really the discovery of the diphtheria germs in 1883, the develop- ment of the diphtheria antitoxine ten years later, and its subsequent use with such happy results can truthfully be said to be one of the greatest events in the history of the human race. Typhoid Fever A physician attending a typhoid patient collects a little of the excreta, takes it through a certain process of prepara- tion, places it under the microscope and looks upon a scene such as given below (Fig. 4), only the picture is more real than the one given here, for the reason, that the little objects with their many hair-like legs are seen in constant motion like a live spider or some such insect. These are the little creatures, which, upon getting into the system of an individual, rapidly mul- tiply causing him to fall sick with typhoid fever. These germs were dis- covered with the microscope, in 1880 by Eberth and Koch. During the sickness of the typhoid patient these small creatures are thrown off in large numbers with the normal excretions. The attending physician always uses strong an- tiseptic solutions in his endeavor to kill these little things, as soon as they find their way from the body of the patient, hoping thereby to prevent their entrance into the system of some other person. These typhoid germs delight to flourish in filthy spots, and, when an opportunity affords, find their Fig. 4. Typhoid Bacilli The Germ Theory of Disease 41 way from these breeding places into springs, wells and streams, from which they, floating in the drinking water, enter the body of some unfortunate individual; or they may be carried from place to place by flies. Fifty years ago, in the months of August and September, one in travelling through one of the Middle States like Ohio or Indiana, might find a case of typhoid fever in almost every home; now, one, in the same months, may pass entirely across one of these states and never see a case of typhoid fever. All this change has come about by virtue of the fact that in the last few decades the nature of these ugly little typhoid creatures has been studied, and means devised to prevent their entrance into the human body. Besides all this, a vaccine has been developed in the last quarter of a century which has well nigh revolutionized matters. The use of this vaccine in the armies and navies of the world has practically exterminated typhoid among all military forces. At the present time, when a man falls and sustains an in- jury because of a defective sidewalk, he sues the city and gets damages. There is every reason to believe that the time is not far distant, when the man who contracts typhoid fever or tuberculosis may bring action against the city or state, and have little or no difficulty in winning his case. Why not? Typhoid fever and tuberculosis are preventable dis- eases, and no municipality, state or individual, in view of what the microscope has taught us, can now stand up and say "Diseases are of spiritual origin and spiritual nature, their cause is therefore not perceptible to the senses." If a follower of Dowie or Mrs. Eddy, while walking down the street to-day should, through the negligence of the con- stituted authorities, be set upon by a mob and receive some shots in the legs, that individual, without question, would regard those balls in his flesh as real things. If a Dowieite, he would not be satisfied by simply asking the Divine One to repair the damages; nor, if an Eddyite, would he attempt 42 Medi-Cult to deny the existence of his wounds. What would that man do ? Like any other individual he would bring action against the city in which the accident occurred, and would find no difficulty in making his case good. When the common peo- ple catch up with the present advanced position of scientific medicine-they are fast doing that now-everybody will come to realize that the germs of tuberculosis, typhoid fever and other diseases, have a real existence, and can be killed. When that day comes-let us hope it is not far away-then even the Dowieite or Eddyite will be in line to hold the authorities amenable to the law, if there can be shown negli- gence in giving proper attention to these minute, but real destroyers of life. Blood Poison A man comes into the physician's office with his hand swollen up as big as a pumpkin; from the tips of his fingers to his elbow his forearm is twice the normal size, the skin being red as fire, and stretched as if to pop. This man says, "Doctor, I was out about the place the other day doing some work, when I got a little lick on my fingers which knocked off a bit of skin; that night my finger seemed sore, next morning my hand was quite badly swollen, by evening it was worse, last night I did not sleep a wink, and to-day it is al- most killing me." Now, what's the matter with that man's hand? We say the man has blood poison. What do we mean by that? Simply this: when he knocks off that bit of skin, there were swarming all over his hand, as there are swarming over your hand-at this time-and every body's hand for that matter-myriads of minute organisms of mic- roscopic size called bacteria; and, when the skin was broken by that accident to the man's hand, some of those little germs, probably such as shown on opposite page, rushed in. Figs 5 and 6. We say the germs that rushed in were probably such as The Germ Theory of Disease 43 seen in Fig. 5 or Fig. 6, because one or the other of these types of organisms usually causes such a condition as seen in this man's hand. Well, when once inside, they began to multiply very rapidly, and, in a short time reached billions in numbers. The blood corpuscles in the man's hand at once sat up and began to take notice. These blood corpuscles said, "What do you rascals want in here? This is our home, Fig 5 Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus {Abbott) Fig. 6 Streptococcus pyogenes {Abbott) you must get out of here." But, as these little germs are having a feast and a frolic, of course they want to stay, so a fierce war is raging, the blood corpuscles diligently per- forming their God given work in a desperate effort to throw out these little intruders; the intruders putting forth all the force in their power to keep their foothold in this rich pas- ture. The desperate war going on between the normal blood cells and these intruding bacteria is the sole cause of all this pain, redness and swelling. Now, it is not known what this man did when he knocked that small window in his skin; possibly he put on a quid of tobacco, or some mud, or tied on a dirty rag. If he did either of these things he erred. Possibly he did nothing at all. What could he have done to prevent all this trouble? He should have put into the little scratch or cut, immediately, some tincture of iodine (by the way every individual should keep constantly about the per- son a half ounce phial of tincture of iodine and apply this freely, immediately, to any cut or scratch, however trivial or serious.) Well, he should have had the iodine and should 44 Medi-Cult have applied it, then he should have covered the injury with a clean piece of cloth, either wrung out of boiling water, or scorched brown on the stove. If this man had done these things carefully and well, he would have done about all the best surgeon could have done, and would now have a per- fectly well hand instead of a hand red, painful, and swol- len out of all recognition. This man probably expects the Doctor to put on some "Healing" salve or lotion, but the Doctor can't do that; no Doctor ever did or ever will be able to do that; there are no such things as "Healing" salves or lotions. All that this physician can do, in fact all the finest surgeon in the world can do for this man, or for any pa- tient with a similar case, is to render the wound and sur- rounding skin perfectly clean, so that no more bacteria can get in, and then encourage the normal blood cells to hasten their work of throwing these little bacterial rascals out. When these two things have been accomplished, the man's hand will be well. You see the only thing in treating any wound is cleanliness, absolute cleanliness, surgical cleanliness. To be sure, only the trained surgeon can be trusted to get absolute cleanliness, but every layman should be well enough drilled in the matter of being clean, that he would see the folly of applying tobacco quids, mud, hunks of fat meat, pounded up weed leaves, dirty rags, filthy poultices, or some such thing to an open wound. If every individual could get these facts, just referred to, well drilled into his head, whole regiments of people would be saved every year, who now lose their lives from infected wounds, resulting in blood poison, lock jaw and other direful things. If you go to the hospital to have a surgical operation per- formed, what does the surgeon do ? Possibly this is an opera- tion in which the abdomen is to be opened. The night be- fore the work is to be done, the surgeon has all the surface of the body, in the neighborhood of where the cut is to be made, thoroughly scrubbed with bpiled water and soap, then The Germ Theory of Disease 45 with a strong solution of corrosive sublimate, then with al- cohol, after which a large pad of gauze, wrung out of strong corrosive sublimate solution is placed over the site of the operation, and allowed to remain there until the work is to be begun. All this is done to destroy all germs or bacteria that may be swarming in the neighborhood of the site of operation. When everything else is in readiness, the surgeon pre- pares himself by thoroughly cleansing his hands and arms in strong solutions of alcohol, corrosive sublimate, etc; boils all his instruments, so that every thing that is to come in contact with the wound shall be surgically clean, that is, free from all living bacterial. After all this preparation the sur- geon begins and completes his operation, his aim all the way through being to let no living germs get into the wound; if he is successful in thus keeping out all bacteria, there never will be a drop of pus, or the least bit of redness, so, in a few days the wound, though a capital one, will be entirely healed. That is what we physicians call antiseptic surgery. The great Regular physician, Doctor Sir Joseph Lister, of England, is regarded by the medical profession as the father of antiseptic surgery. About the year 1870 Doctor Lister published a little treatise on "Antiseptic Surgery," in which he took the ground, that germs or bacteria, invisible to the naked eye, are swarming everywhere; that these germs, by getting into wounds, cause inflammation and pus; that inflammation and pus in wounds can be caused in no other way; that, if surgeons, while operating, could prevent these invisible germs from getting into wounds, there never could be any inflammation, pus or blood poison, but that, instead, all wounds would heal immediately without any disturbance. With this theory in mind, Dr. Lister began using, in all his surgical operations, solutions of substances, which are known to be destructive to animal and vegetable life, such as solu- tions of corrosive sublimate. The results obtained by Lister, 46 Medi-Cult in all his work, were so brilliant, that soon other surgeons began the same practice. For a time there were those in the medical profession, who held aloof from the teachings of Lister, and disputed his theories, but to-day the doctrines taught by that bene- factor, are as firmly fixed in the science of medicine, as any law in any of the exact sciences; so that, at the present time, no physician or surgeon worthy of the name, would think of doing even the most trivial operation without first sterilizing, by heat or proper anti-septic solutions, every thing which is to come in contact with the wound or the neighbor- hood thereof. There are doubtless those who might not be prepared to agree that the teachings of Dr. Lister have done as much good for mankind as any invention or discovery in all the history of the world, yet one would, probably, be well within the truth should he make such a statement. Before the days of Listerim, pus, inflammation and the very frequent occur- rence of fatal blood poison were looked upon as the normal accompaniments of an ordinary surgical operation; but, to- day, any physician or surgeon would regard even the rare occurrence of either of these things as a serious reflection upon his work. One might doubt the statement that bacteria are in every case the cause of pus, inflammation and blood poison; but the fact is, that every housewife, when she cans peaches in the fall, whether she knows it or not, does that work in ac- cordance with the principles laid down by Dr. Lister. How does the housewife can peaches? Does she simply pare the peaches and then at once put them into the jar and screw down the top? No, she understands that if she does that, the peaches will, in a very few days, spoil. Why would peaches thus treated spoil? Simply because, when peaches are thus put into a jar, there are put in at the same time with them, large numbers of bacteria. These bacteria, be- The Germ Theory of Disease 47 ing alive, begin at once to multiply and to fatten upon the fruit; that's all that is happening to the contents of the jar when it is noted that the fruit is spoiling. How does the good mother proceed when she wishes to can peaches and have them keep? She proceeds in this way. After paring the fruit she heats it to the boiling point, then, while it is still boiling hot, she puts it into a jar which has just been thoroughly scalded out, so filling the jar that no air space will be left at the top of the fruit; then she puts on the top and screws it down so perfectly tight that no air can possibly get in; to be sure that no air can enter, she stands the jar with the top down, over night, and watches it closely to see that no air bubbles are finding their way in. If, at the end of several hours, she finds no evidence that air is entering, she puts the jar away feeling perfectly confident that the fruit will keep. After some months she looks at it, and finds that all is well; she understands, however, that if she opens the top merely for a second and then promptly screws it down again the fruit will spoil. Why? Because by that act bacteria would find an entrance. If she should open the top and could have there a physician who would pour over the fruit in the jar a strong solution of corrosive sublimate, she might leave the can of fruit open half a day, then close it up and it would not spoil, simply because the corrosive sub- limate would kill all the bacteria. To be sure the fruit, thus treated, would not be fit to eat, because corrosive sublimate is poison. So the housewife boils her fruit to kill the bacteria con- tained therein; the surgeon pours strong anti-septic solutions over and around the part of the body where he is to operate to kill the bacteria contained thereon. After filling the jar the housewife seals it up to keep the bacteria out. After finishing his operation, the surgeon covers the wound with germecidal dressings for the same purpose. Thus it can be 48 Medi-Cult seen that the housewife and surgeon work along exactly identical lines. Tetanus Bacilli There is another very ugly and troublesome little germ which should be mentioned, as it sometimes finds its way into the body; this is the tetanus germ shown below, (Fig. 7) This tetanus germ is a very undesirable citizen, and one will do well to exercise strict care to see that this little in- truder does not find a lodgement in the body. They live in dirt and filth and delight to enter the body through some wound made in the flesh. It is possible for them to enter through the most trivial scratch and produce tet- enus, that almost certainly fatal di- sease, commonly known as lock jaw. You cannot find a physician anywhere who does not keep constantly with him a small quantity of tincture of iodine, that he may instantly apply the same to any scratch or prick he may himself receive; so fearful is he of these vicious little creatures, the tetanus bacilli, and other danger- ous bacteria. This is the strongest possible argument that every layman should do likewise. Fig. 7. Tetanus Bacilli Asiatic Cholera Cholera is a subject which little concerns the people of America in these enlightened times; for, through the efforts of the medical profession, we now know how to prevent its The Germ Theory of Disease 49 entrance into this country. Three quarters of a century ago we were not so wise; so that in the early part of the nineteenth century several epidemics of that disease swept over the United States, resulting in the death of many thousands of peo- ple. Fig. 8 represents the cholera bacilli. They were discovered by Koch in 1884. Fig. 8. cholera Bacilli Bubonic Plague In the fourteenth century one fourth of the population of Europe perished from bubonic plague, denominated at the time the "Black Death." In London in 1665 over seventy thousand people died from this disease, and, to-day, to quote from Osler, "Plague of India presents the most serious sani- tary problem of the world." Since 1900 this disease has pre- vailed to a limited extent in some of the cities of the Pacific coast, and has at times menaced the welfare of our country. Fig. (9) represents the bacilli of Bubonic plague. These germs were discovered by Kitasato and Yersin in 1894. By the medical pro- fession is it pretty well generally accepted as settled, that rats and fleas carry these germs from place to place, and thus scatter the disease; hence, in plague districts, heroic efforts are always made to exterminate these vermin. Fig. 9 Bacilli of Bubonic Plague Malaria Probably no one thing better illustrates the reality of dis- ease and the fact that the practice of medicine is approaching an exact science than the two pictures given below. Fig. (10) represents the normal blood cells as seen through the 50 Medi-Cult microscope. Fig. (11) shows the blood cells when seen through the microscope in an individual suffering with malaria. These little dots in the blood cells (Fig. 11) are the malarial germs as they appear in the various processes of development. Fig. 10 Normal Blood Cells Fig. 11 Blood Cells Containing the Malarial Germs These germs were discovered first in 1880 by Laveran, a French army surgeon, at that time stationed in Algiers, but it was not until 1898 that we came to know just how these germs get into the blood of the human being. In that year Dr. Koch and a corps of trained scientists from Ger- many went to the low lands of Italy, and there, by a course of study and experiments, proved beyond any doubt, that these little malarial germs are carried into the body of man on the bill of a certain kind of mosquito. Since that time, in malarial districts, steps have been taken to exterminate the mosquito, and now, even in low countries, malaria is almost unknown. Yellow Fever The members of the medical profession are not agreed yet that the germs which cause yellow fever have been dis- covered, but, in 1900 a series of experiments carried out in Cuba by the yellow fever commission of the U. S. Army, consisting of Drs. Reed, Carroll, Lazear, and Agramonte, went far in establishing the fact that the poison or germ is carried from place to place by mosquitoes and injected into The Germ Theory of Disease 51 the bodies of victims by the bills of these insects. In the cities in Cuba, where successful war has been waged in the last few years against the mosquito, yellow fever has been exterminated. The Great Black Plague You are here given the opportunity to look upon two pic- Fig. 12. Micrococci of Neisser Fig. 13. Spirochaetae Pollidae tures (above) each of which represents the germs of a dis- ease, which the common rules of propriety forbid the full discussion of. That shown in (Fig. 12) illustrates the micrococci of Neisser, the micrococci themselves being those small dark dots seen in the picture arranged in pairs thus (<>). In Fig. 13 are shown the Spirochaetae pollidae, the germs being the small cork screw shaped bodies seen in the picture. If it were possible to collect and print, in one volume, the names of all individuals, who, in the United States, this one year, suffer indescribable misery because of the ravages of these two classes of germs, merely listing the symptoms ex- hibited by each sufferer, that volume would be a book so large that no man could lift it. A simple list of the deaths resulting annually in our land from the baneful influences of the Micrococci of Neisser and Spirochaetae Pollidae would made a volume, which would, because of its size, be stunning. It is to be regretted that the present standards of propriety prevent free and full public discussion of the subjects hinted 52 Medi-Cult at in this chapter, but the time is fast approaching, and is not far distant, when this old cloak of false modesty will fall from the shoulders of the laity. When that day arrives- let us hope that it may soon be here-our youth will receive proper instruction touching these matters even in our public schools. For the present your only reliable source of infor- mation is your family physician. Go to him in the spirit of candor and confidence, and ask him to enlighten you on these two subjects. If that family physician is approached in the proper manner, though he may not be orthodox in his reli- gious make up, yet he will preach you a sermon, which, if followed, will be worth heaps of pure gold to you. He can tell you that a very large per cent of the inmates of our blind institutes are there because, before they ever saw the light of day, these vicious germs of Neisser found a lodgement in their eyes, and, before the trouble was discovered, the de- structive work was done. That family physician can tell you that a large per cent of the hopeless paretics in our insti- tutions are there because of the ravages done in their bodies by the Spirochaetae pollidae. You will do well, if, in addition to the following the advice of your family physician, you choose as your constant councillors the good angels of morality, and, as your guide, the beautiful star of chastity. Appendicitis Volumes could be written similar to the pages which have just preceded, to prove that in every case of sickness there is a certain plain, concrete, easily understood cause, but, more evidence of that nature would be tiresome and would serve no good purpose; however, a few lines touching appendicitis may not be amiss, since symptoms in this sickness are due to such a perfectly obvious pathology. Up to forty years ago, when an individual was taken sick with pain in the lower right side of the abdomen, and the The Germ Theory of Disease 53 symptoms, such as tenderness, vomiting, fever, etc., became worse, death closing the scene, the attending physician diag- nosed the case as "inflammation of the bowels." The physi- cian was right in his conclusions in such a case, but the trouble, in those days, was that the medical profession did not know just the point from which that inflammation started. The ordinary layman, when he looks upon a building which is being consumed by fire, usually reflects that the conflagra- tion must have started from a mere spark somewhere in the structure. About the year 1887 some scientific men in the medical profession of Chicago, applying this same course of reasoning, conceived the idea, that, in cases of inflamma- tion of the bowels, there must be, in the very outset, a mere spot or point. After considerable deliberation and study they succeeded in locating the starting point in the vermiform appendix. To-day every member of the Regular medical profession understands what he has to deal with, when he is called to a patient having the symptoms enumerated-pain in the lower right side of abdomen, accompanied with other signs such as tenderness, nausea and possibly fever. He knows that it is barely possible that the case may be handled successfully without the use of the knife, yet in most in- stances the only hope of saving the life of the patient is a surgical operation for the removal of pus or the diseased appendix. In the accompanying cut (Fig 14) if you imagine that the organs shown are located in the body of some other individ- ual, and that you are looking at that individual from the front, you will readily see the normal location of the vermi- form appendix, that it is situated in the lower right side of the abdomen at the point (a). This vermiform appendix, as shown in the cut, is a little worm-like process projecting from the colon near where the large and small intestines join. The appendix is about the size of an ordinary goose 54 Medi-Cult Fig. 14 quill, is usually about three inches long, closed at its outer tip, but hollow and connected to the large intestine by a small opening. It is a delicate little organ, its blood supply is poor; these conditions afford opportunity for it to become The Germ Theory of Disease 55 inflamed or otherwise diseased; when it takes on such a condition, we physicians say the individual thus afflicted has appendicitis. Regular and Irregular Methods Compared It really does seem that many people, when they come to consider matters pertaining to disease and treatments, do not display the same common sense and judgment, that they do in other ordinary things. They seem to expect the physi- cian, when called to a sick patient, to go through some mys- terious, mystifying procedure quite unintelligible to the every day individual, when the fact of the matter is, that the Regu- lar physician, in the practice of the healing art is just as plain, as sane, and common sense like, as the farmer in his line, the market gardener, the mechanic, the locomotive engineer, or any other man. The thing that most hinders the progress of the world today is the attitude of the general public toward matters pertaining to health and disease; the fact that people do not use the same common sense about disease and treat- ments that they do about farming, mechanics and other like things. The farmer looks over his field of growing corn in June, and beholds there the rank sand bur and luxuriant crab grass among his sickly corn. Now, that farmer does not say-you never did and you never will hear a farmer who would say-the difficulties to contend with in raising a crop of corn are of "Spiritual origin and spiritual nature." You never did know, and you never will know a farmer, who would go out to his corn field, there get down on his knees and do nothing himself but implore the Divine One to re- move the burs and grass, relying wholly upon supernatural agencies to get results. You never did know, and you never will know a farmer, who would say to his crop, "Corn field, there is nothing the matter with you; there are no such things 56 Medi-Cult as sand burs and crab grass; those weeds have no real existence, that's merely a belief." No, that farmer does none of these things. He uses plain, common sense. He hitches his good team, Tom and Dick, to a cultivator; bright and early in the morning he enters that field, and diligently he ploughs until the sand burs and other weeds are uprooted and killed, then he leaves nature to finish the work. The Regular physician or surgeon, in the practice of the healing art does no less and he does no more. The market gardener, standing at a distance in the early summer, observes that the potato vines in his patch are drooping and turning yellow. Now, in matters pertaining to sickness in his family, that market gardener may be a be- liever in Dowieism or Christian Science, but he is a sane market gardener, so he uses common sense when it comes to raising potatoes; accordingly he goes up close to that patch, and looks carefully to see what is the matter, very readily discovering that his potato vines are covered with potato- bugs; whereupon he promptly goes over to the drug store, gets some Paris green, makes a solution, sprinkles the patch, which kills the bugs, and then nature finishes the task of making a fine yield of choice potatoes. A Regular physician or surgeon called to attend a member of that man's family, would have acted with the same horse sense; he would have uprooted the burs and grass, or he would have done away with the bugs,-the malarial bugs, the diphtheria bugs or whatever kind of bugs the patient harbored in his blood, that is, if it were a case of bugs-and then have left nature to her own sweet way, and all would have been well. The engineer sits in his cab, his engine drawing its coaches, loaded with passengers, moves smoothly down the track until there comes a whirr, a jarring, a smashing, and, the engine being badly disabled, the train comes to a halt. Well, then the engine is broken down, but that engineer does The Germ Theory of Disease 57 not call a Homeopathic mechanic, a Divine mechanic, a Christian science mechanic, an Osteopathic mechanic, an Eclectic mechanic, nor a Chiropractic mechanic. He calls a Regular mechanic; that mechanic comes; he is a plain, blunt man. There is nothing mysterious about him or his methods. To be sure he is acquainted with every part of that engine to the smallest detail. He carefully looks through the machinery until he finds the broken cog, the loosened nut, or the twisted rod, then in a perfectly sane way, which any child could understand, he repairs the damage and the train moves on. If that mechanic, when he arrived at the engine, had said, "The greatest number of troubles with engines are of spir- itual nature, their causes are therefore not perceptible to the senses"; or, if he had made use of such language as found in the teachings of Dowie or Mrs. Eddy; or, if he had pro- ceeded Ostopathic-like to yank at the cow catcher; or, like the Chiropractor, to rub the back of the engine-if he had done any of these things, he would have been given a whirl before the insanity board, or accorded some such undignified treatment. Regular medicine and Regular treatment are sane medicine and sane treatment, the underlying principles of which any child can understand; and, when a healer approaches a pa- tient along any other than perfectly plain lines, he should be doubted; for the practice of Regular medicine is as straight forward and simple as the ploughing of a field of corn, the caring for a patch of potatoes, or the repairing of a disabled locomotive. Of course a man must know his tools, his ground, his team, and a few other things before he can even plough corn, but you can't raise corn by legerde- main, neither should you try to cure sick people that way. If the question should be asked, why do people recover, when treated by Divine Healing, Christian science, Osteo- 58 Medi-Cult pathy, or the Chiropractice method, seemingly, just as well as when treated by a Regular physician, the answer would not be hard to find. In the outset you should get thoroughly fixed in your mind these two propositions: First, every person born into the world must die some time. Second, quite a per cent, probably one third of the people, who get sick with any acute disease, would get well again even if no physician of any kind were called to attend them; and, of the other two thirds, there is always an unknown per cent who would die anyway, even with the best known methods of treatment. Of course, the truthfulness of the first statement is well known to every person, while the truthfulness of the second statement is well known to every physician, and should be clear to any one upon a little reflection. It is because of the truthfulness of these two statements, coupled with the fact that people, generally, fail to recognize these statements as fixed truths and the additional fact, that our knowledge of disease is incomplete, that Regular medi- cine has had such uphill work in establishing itself as an exact science, while all the pathies, from Eddypathy to Chiropathy have had such easy and clear sailing. Let us go into details. Since every person in the world must die some time, then there must come a time when all persons treated by Regular physicians must die, just as there must come a time when all persons treated by Irregular physicians must die. So, in every death that occurs, there is presented a circumstance which precludes any argument, which might tend to show the superiority of Regular over Irregular treat- ment; then, at the same time every death affords a circum- stance, which gives the Irregular practitioner an opportunity to say, his methods are no worse than any other. Again, since probably one third of the people who get sick with any acute disease would get well without any physician, no argument is afforded Regular physicians by such patients. Of all people who get sick with acute diseases, having The Germ Theory of Disease 59 first set aside that quite large per cent that would die even with the best known methods of treatment, let us consider that per cent which would die unless properly treated. To begin with, let us take the first patient we come to belonging to this class. Well, here he is: he has been sick ten days with pneumonia, has been treated by a Regular physician, and is now well. How are you going to prove that this patient would have died unless properly treated? It can't be done, so there you are. Of the class under consideration, let us take patient No. 2. He has been sick ten days with pneu- monia, has been treated by an Irregular practitioner, and is now dead. How can it be shown that this patient could have been saved ? It can't be done, so there you are again. So the Regular physician, when he takes his patient, does it saying to himself: "I am working in a perfectly straight- forward, honest, scientific way; many patients would get well without any treatment, this may be one; who knows; I'll take no chances; I'll do my best. Many patients must die anyway, even with the best known methods of treatment; this may be one; who knows; I'll take no chances; I'll do my best; if my patient gets well I have no argument; if he dies I'm still worse off." The Irregular practitioner of the healing art, in taking his patient, may say to himself, "To pot with science; if my patient dies I have a good argument; if he recovers I'm still better off. There is a vast difference between the practice of the heal- ing art and other sciences. Take, for an example, Astron- omy. Astronomy is an exact science, every law of which is susceptible of accurate demonstration. So exact is the science of Astronomy, that the astronomer can tell you to the second, when the sun will rise six months from now; he can tell to the minute, when that eclipse will occur fifty years hence. Yes, Astronomy is an exact science. Why? Because the basis upon which it rests, the planets and the laws which 60 Medi-Cult govern their movements, is fixed, and eternal. There are, therefore, only Regular astronomers, no Irregulars; no Homeopathic astronomers, no Eclectic astronomers; no Os- teopath or Chiropractic astronomers. The healing art is not an exact science. Why? Because the basis upon which it rests, the human body, is the frailest of all created things, buffeted about during its sojourn on earth by an endless number of antagonistic laws and forces, at best crumbling to dust in a few short years. Since natural conditions are such as to put mountain upon mountain in the way of establishing the healing art as an exact science, it is most grievous that men, seemingly with selfish and mercenary motives, should still further impede its progress by the bringing forth of all the pathies and isms such as those mentioned under the term cults. Such a question as this would be quite pertinent:-If these Irregular practitioners of the healing arts are not recog- nized in the scientific and critical business worlds; have no standing in naval and military circles, why are they recog- nized by the laws of our states and given lecense to practice the healing art? To that question this is the answer. For a matter to receive recognition in the political world is one thing; for the same matter to have a creditable standing in the scientific world is quite another thing. Scientists estab- lish our scientific laws and accept only such as stand the search light of truth; while politicians establish the laws found on our statute books. Allopaths-Old School Physicians One frequently hears people, in speaking of physicians, say "Doctor-So-and-So is an Allopath," or "He belongs to the Old School." Hence every one should know the exact significance of the term "Allopath" and "Old School." When Hahnemann, over a hundred years ago, brought forth The Germ Theory of Disease 61 his Orgnanon, he and his followers called themselves Homeo- paths, and adopted for themselves the term "New School," assigning to other physicians the name "Allopath" or "Old School." When the Eclectics, in 1826, formed their asso- ciation they took up a similar cry, "We are Eclectics, a New School, all others are Old School." No intelligent Regular physician ever calls himself "Allo- path" or "Old School," and, because of the facts, as just stated above, never feels quite comfortable, when others call him by that title. The Physician And His Free Advice Any one who has carefully studied the achievements of the Regular medical profession must have reached the conclusion that great as has been the work of these practitioners of the healing art, in restoring sick people to health, yet their chief claim to honorable recognition lies in the work done to pre- vent disease. When, under the guidance of the family physi- cian, some sick one in the family is brought back to health, the interested parties very gladly pay that physician a good fee for his services. All this is well, but, in almost every such case, the free advice given by the physician to protect others of the family from falling ill, and to keep the sick one from taking a back set, is worth more than his direct efforts in behalf of the patient. If people, generally, were as apt in accepting and following the freely given advice of the members of the medi- cal profession, as these members are ever ready to give the same, the sufferings of humanity would be relieved very ma- terially. Such gratuitous instructions not infrequently con- sist in hints as to correct habits of breathing, proper ventila- tion and errors of diet. It certainly is very much worth- while that all persons should adopt the right kind of views and practices touching these matters. 62 Medi-Cult Habits of Breathing As to correct habits of breathing, it may be said that, clearly, it is the definite plan of nature, that the air we breathe should pass through the nasal cavities before enter- ing the lungs. Air, in the winter time is cold; at all times laden with dust, and, possibly the germs of disease. The nose is so constructed, that the air in passing through it will be warmed while the dirt and disease germs are filtered out before the lungs are reached. A large per. cent, of people breathe through the mouth, a thing never intended by nature. Experiments have shown that the tubercle baccili are more liable to enter the body through the mouth than through the nose. Any bitter cold morning, with the ther- mometer below zero, people may be seen hurrying along the street, heavily clad in flannels and furs to protect the out- side of the body from the elements, while eighteen or twenty times per. minute they are jamming that frigid atmosphere into the lungs on the inside of the body by breathing through the mouth. Such a thing can easily set up an irritation in the delicate lung tissue which may result in pneumonia. It is of the utmost importance that every child be taught, while young, the necessity of forming the habit of breathing correctly through the nose as nature intended. Many per- sons contract a little cold, or acute catarrh, which partially closes the nasal cavities, rendering breathing through the nose somewhat difficult. Instead of taking steps, imme- diately, to clear the cavities, they begin breathing through the mouth, which simply causes the catarrh to grow worse, as the mucous membranes of the nasal cavities will naturally become thicker through non-use. Every physician understands that almost all cases of partial deafness are due to the extension of catarrhal con- ditions from the nasal cavities to the middle ear through the The Germ Theory of Disease 63 delicate little openings, the Eustachian tubes. Nature's way of curing nasal catarrh is to pass oxygen over the diseased mucous membranes, eighteen times a minute, as can be done only by the habit of breathing correctly through the nose. If a child, or any individual finds, that because of some obstruction, it is not possible to breathe through the nose, a physician could be consulted so that steps can be taken to remove the hindrance. Ventilation Having considered the respiratory apparatus, a few words on the subject of ventilation would seem appropriate. It is breakfast time; in the lavatory is a basin of clean water; Jones comes along and prepares himself for the morning meal by washing his hands and face in that water; we leave the water, used by Jones, in the basin; Brown comes up; we ask him to wash his hands and face in the same water; Brown does not wish to give offense, so, though embarrassed, reluctantly complies; after which, Smith ap- pears ; Smith is directed to make his toilet by using the same water used by Jones and Brown. Now Smith is a model citizen and was never known to cause a disturbance, yet, right here, though in a public place, he balks and becomes a veritable mule, therefore, if his face ever gets washed in that basin with its present contents, it will be because several strong men seize and hold him, while some other party per- forms the act of preparing his toilet for him. Well, after the commotion is over, Jones, Brown, and Smith all go over to the hall, where a crowd is gathered, and take seats. There, Smith will sit for two hours, without murmur, very complacently, eighteen times a minute, through the act of breathing, taking into the inside of his body the air which has been in the lungs, not only of Jones and Brown, but of all their neighbors as well. The water used by Jones 64 Medi-Cult and Brown could not have hurt Smith if he had used it as they had-it was merely the appearance and thought of the thing which caused him to shy. But the air which has been in the lungs of Jones, Brown, and their neighbors, is laden with carbonic acid gas, dead animal matter, possibly turbercle bacilli; hence Smith would be justified in disturbing the gathering by making a vigorous demand that a liberal sup- ply of oxygen be admitted from the outside, by means of free ventilation. Proper means of ventilation are more necessary for schools, churches, theatres, public halls, factories, and city tenement houses than fire escapes; because, every second in the year, foul air is poisoning millions, rendering decrepit the body and pallid the cheek, bringing to a premature grave untold thousands; while only occasionally some small crowd is swept into eternity by a holocaust resulting from a defec- tive fire escape. Sunshine and fresh air are God's medicines and the most potent antidotes to disease. The tubercle bacilli and other germs quickly perish, when subjected to these two agents furnished, free, by nature. The dark, damp, foul- smelling tenements of our cities, as well as the unhygienic habitations found all over our land, are hot-beds, reeking with pale faces, rounded shoulders, stupidity, licentiousness, and premature death. Flood these dingy abodes with an abundance of Gods pure air and sunshine, then there will grow up, instead, rosy cheeks, erect bodies, vigorous intel- lects, spotless morality and happy longevity. The Digestive Apparatus A look about in nature, cannot but convince any individual that every thing, created by the Allwise One, was designed to do some particular work and to do that work regularly. The movements of the planets; the coming and going of the seasons; the budding of the trees and falling of the leaves The Germ Theory of Disease 65 all impress one with the idea of regularity. If we turn to the human body we find the same laws prevailing. Consider the heart. That organ has a definite work to do, and, in health, its rhythm with the perfect regularity of its move- ments are wonderful to behold. Looking at the digestive apparatus we come to the same conclusion-that this part of the body was designed to do a certain work-digest three meals a day and do that with absolute regularity. Clearly, it was Nature's design, that wholesome food, taken at regular intervals, together with an abundance of pure water are the only things which should ever find their way into the human stomach. We never think it necessary to habitually give alcoholics, tobacco and narcotics to our horses; and, if that element, horse sense, were more vigorous in us-that is, if the animal instinct placed in us by nature, had not been so long blunted by abuses, we would not consider these articles a necessary part of our daily ration. Arguments in this point cannot be made convincing to every one. A smart young man comes along and says, " do not believe all that about temperance, tobacco, alcoholics and rules of health; I know a man over here seventy years old, who, all his life has used tobacco and alcoholics, has kept irregular hours; has eaten anything and everything at all times, has lived a vicious life, yet he seems just as healthful as any one." Yes, seems, but is he really just as healthful as any one? Here is a man with a fine automobile; he sifts into the delicate machinery of the transmission, a few tablespoonfuls of sand. That sand does not stop the machine; it will run to-day, to-morrow, all week, even for months, or a year; but no one will pretend to say that that automobile will run just as smoothly, and just as long with that sand in the transmission as without it. So with the human body; it will suffer all sorts of abuses and irregularities; still, not abso- lutely stop, but continue to do fairly effective work; not 66 Medi-Cult such work, however, with the abuses as without them. Then, it is not a fair test to point out some one individual and use him as an illustration. Here is a test which would be fair. We will take one hundred boys, all of the same age, fifteen years, all on a par physically, in all respects one as good as the other. We will let fifty of those boys begin at this age, fifteen, to use tobacco, alcoholics, and, in all respects to live base, vicious lives. The other fifty are, in all particulars, to live in the most exemplary manner, always clean and free from any excess. Let these two groups continue their respective courses until the age of forty is reached. At this time a most critical eye might not be able to point out without fail the good from the bad, were they all assembled in one crowd. However we will send them forth again, each group to continue the career, first chosen, until the age of seventy is reached. We will now call together the entire group of one hundred, granting that they are still living. The merest novice can now separate the fifty who have lived the clean and regular life, from the fifty who have spent their days in dissipation and sin. There are the fifty who have lived the clean upright life, each with body erect, a firm elastc step, steady nerve, undimmed eye, a clear vigorous intellect, the very image of, and honor to, the God who made them. There are the fifty who have lived the riotous, licentious life. Look at them-the stooped body, the falter- ing step, the unsteady nerve and trembling hand, the blear eye, the clouded intellect, a dishonor to their parentage and to all mankind. What is said here is said, not from the standpoint of the spiritual adviser, but from the standpoint of one, who has spent a life time in scientific research, as a student, as a teacher, a parent, and in the practice of the healing art. Certainly all observations point to the fact that it should be thoroughly ground into the character of every boy and girl, from the scientific as well as the spiritual The Germ Theory of Disease 67 standpoint, both at home and in the school, that, if he or she wishes to possess, to the end of life, a clean, clear intellect and a vigorous body, then there must be adopted a life of purity, of sobriety, of total abstinence from all narcotics and alcoholics with a rigid temperance in all things. Heart Disease According to the vital statistics put out by the U. S. Government from year to year, one in every fourteen deaths is due to cancer; one in twelve to pneumonia; one in twelve to tuberculosis; one in five to disease of the heart and blood vessels. From these facts it is seen that more than twice as many people die from heart disease and other pathology in the circulatory system than from any other one cause. All this forces the conclusion that our homes and public schools are fairly teeming with children and young people, who, though apparently in perfect health, harbor within their chests serious valvular heart defects. Many such defects are congenital; many are the unavoidable results of diph- theria, scarlatina and other infectious fevers, while all too many have had their origin in focal infection from the teeth and tonsils with the resultant so called rheumatism and endocarditis; but, whatever their etiology these defects prevail to an alarming extent. Many states now have laws requiring school children to be inspected at stated intervals with regard to defects of the eye, the ear, the nose and the throat. These are most blessed enactments; but, to-day, there is probably no more pressing need than that every state should have a law requiring all school children and young people to have a physical examination once a year, by com- petent internists, to determine valvular heart defects. Doubt- less, some time in the future, when the general public shall come to appreciate, to a fuller extent, the real merits of scientific medicine, such a procedure will be the universal 68 Medi-Cult custom. As it is under present conditions family physicians, when given an opportunity to do so, through a request from parents or other interested parties, are ever ready to inspect children in the homes of their patrons in a search for any heart ailment. Because children, apparently in the very pink of health, are often the victims of these serious heart impair- ments, parents should be alert on this point, and never fail to avail themselves of this, always gladly given, gratuitous service of the family physician. Valvular heart defects cannot be cured; they are per- manent. Vigorous exercise and over exertion constitute the bane-the death dealing factor-for all those who are so unfortunate as to be thus afflicted; but, even a decidedly serious impairment of this nature, is not incompatible with good health, a useful life, and a happy longevity, if the person thus impaired shall be made aware of his defect and will follow the advice of his family physician, who will, most certainly, always warn against strenuous physical activity- the only worthwhile remedy. The one, who has such an impairment, and is unaware of the same, or he, who, being advised, disregards the injunction of his physician, is cer- tainly in a most regretable situation since strenuous physical effort on the part of the one thus impaired, will, unquestion- ably, cause the diseased valves to become more incompetent to do their work, the outcome being, sooner or later, shortness of breath, possibly dropsy, but quite surely premature death. The Advertising Chiropractor The advertisement shown on page 69, Fig. 16, was clipped from one of our Metropolitan daily papers issued on the last Sunday of 1923. You will see, that, according to the discoveries made by this doctor, "NINETY PER CENT OF ALL HUMAN AILMENTS ARE PRIMARILY CAUSED BY SPINAL NERVE PRESSURE." The Germ Theory of Disease 69 Surely this world is very cold, partial and unappreciative. There was Rontgen. When he discovered the X-ray in 1895, all the newspapers and magazines rushed him, seized his photograph, and, without any expense to him-yes, with- out even asking his permission, blazoned his picture and the facts of his discovery on every front page. The same was true of Marconi, when he discovered the wireless telegraph; TAKE CHIROPRACTIC AND GET WELL Ninety per cent of all human ailments are primarily caused by spinal nerve pressure. Colds, fevers, nervousness, neuritis, head- aches, backaches, lumbago, rheumatism, liver, stomach, kidney and bowel trouble respond quick- ly to our methods. Consultation is free-Office adjustments are 12 for $10, or 30 for $25. Office hours, 9 a. m. to 8 p. m. Sundays, 10 to 12 n. House calls an- swered promptly. DR. JOHN DOE, the Chiropractor and of Madame Curie, when she discovered Radium. Such has been the treatment accorded many other great benefac- tors. But, here is this distinguished Doctor making the wonderful discovery that "NINETY PER CENT OF ALL HUMAN AILMENTS ARE PRIMARILY CAUSED BY SPINAL NERVE PRESSURE," yet he is compelled to go over to a daily newspaper several times a week and pay its proprietor a good fat sum of money, in the way of an advertising fee, in order to get the facts of his discovery before the people. Fig. 16 70 Medi-Cult Not only is the world at large cold and unappreciative of the achievements of some of its great discoverers and benefactors, but those in high places are many times either thus disposed or else densely ignorant. Down at Washing- ton, D. C., are the men who make up the reports for the U. S. Government, putting out every year the vital statistics, which give the information, that eight per cent of all deaths are caused by tuberculosis; eight per cent by pneumonia; seven per cent by cancer; twenty per cent by heart disease; and so on to the full hundred per cent. Now, it certainly does seem that, if "NINETY PER CENT OF ALL HU- MAN AILMENTS ARE PRIMARILY CAUSED BY SPINAL NERVE PRESSURE," then surely some one should die of that malady occasionally; yet, in looking over all the records ever put out by the U. S. Govrenment, since its foundation, not a single death is listed as due to "SPINAL NERVE PRESSURE." Assuming these records to be cor- rect, that no one was ever known to die from "SPINAL NERVE PRESSURE," it is not quite clear why any one should ever think it necessary to pay out his hard earned cash to be treated for such an ailment. However, it is not difficult to understand why some Doctors should seem so very much worked up about the matter. CHAPTER III UNETHICAL REGULAR PHYSICIANS The Abrams Method Not all graduates of Regular medical colleges practice the healing art in a perfectly straight forward ethical manner. Occasionally one, in order to make money quickly, will enter upon a program of extensive advertising, or will adopt some "Catchy" device like the Abrams method. Since so much has been said of late about the Abrams apparatus and method, a few words here would seem appro- priate. One would be perfectly safe in saying that all mem- bers of the Regular medical profession, except an exceed- ingly small per. cent., now regard the Abrams method of diagnosis and treatment as the most palpable fraud ever projected into the field of science. The Journal of The American Medical Association, in speaking of Abrams and his device says, "The whole thing is very funny and very foolish; is so preposterous a fake as to stand self condemned." The Scientific American says that the Abrams apparatus is "An incoherent hodge- podge ; Dr. Abrams knew virtually nothing about electricity; not only in his writings but in his experiments there is the same sort of weird, meaningless, and ridiculous atmosphere." We find this additional statement in the Scientific American, "Professor Millikan, probably America's greatest physicist in the field of electron, investigated the Abrams apparatus and stated that it did not rest on any sort of scientific foundation whatsoever. Professor Millikan holds that the Abrams claims are the height of absurdity." 71 72 Medi-Cult In the light of the foregoing facts every individual may decide for himself what must be the color of the soul and the mental caliber of that member of the Regular medical pro- fession who will adopt as a part of his armamentarium the Abrams method of diagnosis and treatment. To protect the honor and good name of the medical profession, Regular medical associations in many states have resorted to the expediency of expelling members who have been found guilty of using this Abrams fraud. In recent years the minds of our statesmen have been directed toward the problem of the conservation of the natural forces and resources of our nation and the curbing of predatory wealth in the commercial world. All this is well. But the greatest problem of this and future ages is, and must ever be, the problem of how the best to conserve the natural forces and resources of the individual human body; and how the most effectively to curb and eliminate the predatory agents and agencies which hinder by posing as being engaged in the practice of the healing art. This push- ing forward of the healing art to the highest degree attain- able is the thing the most to be desired, since a perfect mental and moral tone can be established only when and where there first has been laid that necessary foundation, a perfect physical structure. Since very little can be done by legal enactments in solving the problems just mentioned; and, since its solution can be brought about only by the teaching of every individual to adopt correct views concerning these matters pertaining to health and disease; and, since the most powerful factors and forces, with selfish mercenary motives, are engaged in a fixed determination to lead our entire people to adopt erroneous views along these lines, it becomes the duty of every good citizen to engage himself in frowningly pointing the finger of scorn at wrong doctrines and evil doers, the The Abrams Method 73 while he firmly stands with clear and loud acclaim for right doctrines and well doers. It is the feeling of this duty which has prompted the bringing forth of this little volume.