Henry Baird Favill, AB, MD, LL.D., 1860-1916, a ... - University Library

462 HENRY BAIRD FAVILL
they must be regarded as a struggle in the body of an animal
to prevent the undue development of lower forms of life,
usually low plant life, under the general term of "germs."
Every sickness represents, not what the germ is doing to the
animal, but the struggle which the animal is making against
the germ. If it succeeds, it survives; if it does not succeed,
it perishes. But sickness is a manifestation of warfare and
not a mere passive surrender. Fever, for example, is probably
a conservative process and not destructive. It is Nature's
method of meeting the germ attack by what we regard
as resistance.
In the body of every animal struggling
with infectious disease there are forming antagonistic chemical
substances whose purpose is protection. All serums
which we use in practice are the products of
such protective
reaction and in so far as they are useful it is because of
some specific power they have to increase the defense of the
animal against the invader.
If it is true that all animals have a certain degree of
power to protect themselves against disease germs, the question
of hygiene becomes, how to favor the development of
resistance. Let me call your attention, for example, to the
modern theory and method of treating human tuberculosis.
Fresh air, food, and rest are cardinal principles.
Do not get the idea that fresh air is valuable because it
does not contain tuberculosis germs. It may or may not
contain germs, but its value undoubtedly is in its tonic
effect upon the entire cellular mass of which the animal is
made up. So also as to food. There is no antagonism
between milk and eggs and tuberculosis germs. The benefit
lies in the fortification of the tissues in the minutest
particle for carrying on its own protective resistance. So,
also, as to rest. Probably rest in tuberculosis is of value
because it permits the assimilative power of the organism
to be concentrated on the upbuilding of the cells and does
not dissipate their powers in unnecessary activities.
In fact, it is now manifest that, in combating tuber-