"The degree of vision that dwells in a man is the correct measure of a man."-Carlyle. "SEC. 6.-The physician should be a minister of hope and comfort to the sick, since life may be lengthened or shortened not only by the acts but by the words or manner of the physician, whose solemn duty is to avoid all utterances and actions having a tendency to discourage and depress the patient."-Principles of Medical Ethics. "Yes, there is luck in this world; but nobody ever had it unless he reached for it; unless he seized it, and with all his mind and all his might developed his opportunity when it came. There are plenty of apples on the trees, but it's only those fellows who make a spring and climb for them who get them."-Senator Depew in N. Y. Daily News. CHAPTER II. THE PRESENT STATUS OF MEDICINE-Continued. The Demands of the Hour. The civilized world was supposed long since to be rid of slavery. But it is not. Mankind, in increasing numbers, are in the vilest serfdom. More A woman of culture and refinement called at my office recently. She was dressed with taste and gave other evidences of favorable environment; and yet I soon learned that she was as completely under the dominion of fear as ever was galley slave under the power of other men. Fear followed her wherever she went. than once had she sought relief from her torment in visits to foreign lands; but in London, and Paris, and Berlin it haunted her still. The trouble was that by travel she could not escape herself. She had sought out many doctors and various means of treatment, without relief. truth, some physicians had but bound her misconceptions more closely and had awakened new fears. Altogether she was a wretched woman. In She is only one of the millions who swell the army of serfs in this and other countries and give the world much of its unrest. What the people need (every one of whom, did he but know it, is "to the manner born") is liberation from the shackles of real and fancied disease. There is an undertone of woe filling the whole world, and one has but to hearken to hear it. Suffering enshrouds the earth, and the cry goes up to heaven, "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Certain Advances. There is not the same prevalence of epidemic disease. A measure of relief has come. The decimating plagues of former days have lost their virulency. The pestilence no longer "walks in darkness and wastes at noonday." Its power is broken. Relief came through clean living and relative purity of surroundings. Making "clean the outside of the platter" has done much, very much, for humanity; but the springs of thought are still fouled. Internal sanitation is of far more value than external. Cleanse the mind of its brood of noxious thoughts, as well as the body of its harmful practices, and the world will become comparatively free from its present load of ills. Prevention of Disease. Remember that disease is far more easily prevented than cured. I do not hesitate to affirm that the ailments which ordinarily follow an undeviating course to a fatal issue are nearly always preventable, and that the efficient prophylaxis lies in the direction of welltrained thought. The two cardinal essentials of success are (1) the elimination of conscious fear and (2) the establishment of an absolute faith in the unity and goodness of all things. It is intended that these things be in addition to observance of the usual preventive measures. So long as we are in the flesh we must mind CHRONIC AILMENTS MORE PREVALENT. 35 the things of the flesh. The subjective mind senses and the objective mind theorizes on the sensations. Accordingly, the former awaits its cue from the latter. Besides, it is evident that the same sensations do not produce the same objective phenomena. Action is given different directions by the differing thoughts. When the subjective mind reports to the ego a certain sensation, in the absence of specific directions the customary action follows. But the objective faculty is able at will to place an unusual interpretation upon the sensation, and, accordingly, vary the expression. It is also possible for the objective mind so to train the subjective faculties that sensations shall be altogether ignored and deprived of evil effect. This means that the organic functions can be measurably regulated through volition exercised by the conscious mind. The physician's duties are not merely to minister to the sick. The obligation is laid upon him to teach people how to avoid mental and physical ills. In doing this he will be following a sacred vocation, and will forfeit neither ethical nor financial reward. Chronic Ailments More Leaving out of account the contagious diseases which have been unquestionably reduced in prevalence and virulency as the result of scrupulous attention to sanitary measures, the grand total of disease has not been reduced. The discouraging feature connected with the |