Chapter VII - Physiology
Medical errors
175:1
images of disease from taking form in thought, and we
images of disease from taking form in thought, and we
should efface the outlines of disease already formulated in
the minds of mortals.
Novel Diseases
175:4
When there are fewer prescriptions, and less thought is
When there are fewer prescriptions, and less thought is
given to sanitary subjects, there will be better
constitutions and less disease. In old times
who ever heard of dyspepsia, cerebro-spinal meningitis,
hay-fever, and rose-cold?
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What an abuse of natural beauty to say that a rose,
What an abuse of natural beauty to say that a rose,
the smile of God, can produce suffering! The joy of its
presence, its beauty and fragrance, should uplift the
thought, and dissuade any sense of fear or fever. It is
profane to fancy that the perfume of clover and the breath
of new-mown hay can cause glandular inflammation,
sneezing, and nasal pangs.
No ancestral dyspepsia
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If a random thought, calling itself dyspepsia, had
If a random thought, calling itself dyspepsia, had
tried to tyrannize over our forefathers, it would have
been routed by their independence and in-
dustry. Then people had less time for self‑
ishness, coddling, and sickly after-dinner talk. The ex-
act amount of food the stomach could digest was not
discussed according to Cutter nor referred to sanitary
laws. A man's belief in those days was not so severe
upon the gastric juices. Beaumont's "Medical Experi-
ments" did not govern the digestion.
Pulmonary misbeliefs
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Damp atmosphere and freezing snow empurpled the
Damp atmosphere and freezing snow empurpled the
plump cheeks of our ancestors, but they never indulged
in the refinement of inflamed bronchial tubes.
They were as innocent as Adam, before he ate
the fruit of false knowledge, of the existence of tubercles
and troches, lungs and lozenges.
Our modern Eves
175:32
"Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise," says
"Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise," says
176:1
the English poet, and there is truth in his sentiment. The
the English poet, and there is truth in his sentiment. The
action of mortal mind on the body was not so injurious
before inquisitive modern Eves took up the
study of medical works and unmanly Adams
attributed their own downfall and the fate of their off-
spring to the weakness of their wives.
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The primitive custom of taking no thought about
The primitive custom of taking no thought about
food left the stomach and bowels free to act in obedi-
ence to nature, and gave the gospel a chance to be seen
in its glorious effects upon the body. A ghastly array of
diseases was not paraded before the imagination. There
were fewer books on digestion and more "sermons in
stones, and good in everything." When the mechanism
of the human mind gives place to the divine Mind, self‑
ishness and sin, disease and death, will lose their
foothold.
176:17
Human fear of miasma would load with disease the
Human fear of miasma would load with disease the
air of Eden, and weigh down mankind with superimposed
and conjectural evils. Mortal mind is the worst foe of
the body, while divine Mind is its best friend.
Diseases not to be classified
176:21
Should all cases of organic disease be treated by a
Should all cases of organic disease be treated by a
regular practitioner, and the Christian Scientist try
truth only in cases of hysteria, hypochon-
dria, and hallucination? One disease is no
more real than another. All disease is the
result of education, and disease can carry its ill-effects
no farther than mortal mind maps out the way. The
human mind, not matter, is supposed to feel, suffer, en-
joy. Hence decided types of acute disease are quite as
ready to yield to Truth as the less distinct type and chronic
form of disease. Truth handles the most malignant con-
tagion with perfect assurance.