(Written for the MEDICAL BRIEF.) 

Causes. 

ANNIE K. BAILEY, M. D., 
Danbury, Conn. 

Hay Fever, Etc.-The microscope has revealed in the nasal excretions of persons suffering from epidemic Influenza, the Irritant to be infusoria resembling epithelial cells, with cilia, which exhibit very active movements. They are identical with those derived from the water in lakes, ponds, or stagnant water. These should always be sought for in ascertaining the cause of epidemic influenza, some forms of asthma, and bay fever. They are effectually destroyed by local applications with sprays containing carbolic acid, and an alkali, as Dobell's solution.

Cancer.-Cancer is declared to be the result of eating flesh food. How? An animal reaches its maturity in about three years; man reaches his true maturity at thirty years of age; rapidly growing cells being Imposed upon slow-growing cells proliferate as a result of some irritant, mechanical or otherwise, and degenerate with attending consequences.

Disease.-The direct cause of a whole class of diseases is a deficiency of the normal chemical constituents of the different tissues of the body from the normal source of supply, as decreed by the Creator for the safety and well-being of the creatures whom He had formed of the dust of the ground. It is written: "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man; that He may bring forth food out of the earth." The scope of His provision lies in grains, vegetables, fruits, etc., which contain no cancerous possibilities. The foundation of skillful medical practice lies in a knowledge of the predilection of certain elements to certain tissues. For instance, the predilection of copper is invariably to the brain and abdomen, manganese is a peculiar element of hemoglobin, arsenic maintains the normal standard of red blood corpuscles, and is Invaluable as a restorative to the damaged blood corpuscles in severe cases of syphilis, etc.

Tendency to Pus Formations is caused by the action of alcoholics on the blood corpuscles, so changing their normal character in shape, vitality, etc., that they become agglutinated, thereby changing their function, and preventing their normal flow through the capillaries, predispose to pus formations, as in empyema, complicating a pneumonia, etc.

Bright's Disease.-That expression of the disease as manifested by hyaline casts, is nothing more or less than the action of alcoholics on the serum albumin of the blood, precipitating the albumin, which, In Its separate and changed condition, being unable to pass through the kidney tubules, make a cast or impress of the tube on Its passage. Normal kidneys also vitally excrete egg-albumin, but resist the passage of serum-albumin only under pathological conditions.

Angina Pectoris is the result of a diminution in caliber of the coronary arteries, or of the aorta, immediately about their orifices. Continued high tension in the aortic system is a primary cause of arterio-sclerosis, whether from febrile, or other causes, from which the heart and coronaries suffer most. Functional Increase of the heart action is also a factor in the production of sclerotic tissue. "An artery which is the seat of arterio-sclerosis may later become affected by atheroma," as the kind of stimulus determines the kind of cell-proliferation. or change. The specific action of barium chloride on sclerotic tissue, relative to angina pectoris, may appear in another article later.

Syphilitic Stricture is due to an infiltration from the blood of a substance resembling lardacein in the walls of the small blood vessels, especially the arterioles and capillaries, or in organs whose tissues are already injured by disease through malnutrition, due to anemia. In a large proportion of cases the intestines are the seat of the deposit, occasionally the esophagus, testes, etc. This infiltrated substance is soluble in water. The specific virtue of oil of hyssop is to purge the system of the specific virus. The free use of water, drinking, if possible, two quarts dally in divided portions, and two bot baths a week, cleanses the system and carries off the matter prepared to be eliminated by the hyssop.

Ulcers Accompanying Syphilitic Disease, as in other instances, is a secondary matter, due to malnutrition of the tissues, through disease of the nervous system In particular. Lower vitality of a tissue is due to interference from any cause with Its nervous supply. Ulceration is due to nerve change and lessened resistance of the tissues. As syphilis is so largely a disease of the blood corpuscles, arsenic is a most valuable remedy to restore the normal standard of the corpuscles, and copper to restore the standard of nerve substance of the brain and abdominal nerves. Arseniate of copper, one one-hundredth grain, one tablet, night and morning for several days at a time only, watching the same, will render most valuable service in these conditions.

A most valuable key for the discrimination of causes for those who will receive it--it is written: "For the good are good things created from the beginning; so evil thing for sinners or the disobedient of the highest laws."