THE DIAPHRAGM.
Investigation--A Struggle With Nature--Lesson of Cause and
Effect--Something of Medical Etiquette--The Medical Doctor--An
Explorer for Truth Must Be Independent--The Diaphragm Introduced--A
Useful Study--Combatting Effect--Is Least Understood--A Case of
Bilious Fever--A Demand on the Nerves--Danger of Compression--A
Cause for Disease--Was a Mistake Made in the Creation--An
Exploration--Result of Removal of Diaphragm--Sustaining Life in
Principles--Law Applicable to Other Organs--Power of
Diaphragm--Omentum.
INVESTIGATION.
Let us halt at the origin of the splanchnic and take a look. At this
point we see the lower branches; sensation, motion, and nutrition, all
slant above the diaphragm pointing to the solar plexus which sends off
branches to pudic and sacral plexus of sensory system of nerves; just at
the place to join the life giving ganglion of sacrum with orders from
the brain to keep the process of blood forming in full motion all the
time. A question arises, how is this motion supplied and from where? The
answer is by the brain as nerve supply, heart as blood supply, all of
which comes from above the diaphragm, to keep machinery in form and
supplied with motion, that it may be able to generate chyle to send back
to heart, to be formed into blood and thrown into arteries to build all
parts as needed, and keep brain fed up to its normal supply of power
generating needs. We see above the diaphragm, the lungs, heart and
brain, the three sources of blood and nerve supply. All three are
guarded by strong walls, that they may do their part in keeping up the
life supply as far as blood and nerve force is required. But as they
generate no blood nor nerve material, they must take the place of
manufactories and purchase material from a foreign land, to be able to
have an abundance all the time. We see nature has placed its
manufacturies above a given line in the breast, and grows the crude
material below said line. Now as growth means motion and supply, we must
combine in a friendly way, and conduct the force from above to the
region below the septum or diaphragm, that we may use the powers as
needed. This wall must and does have openings to let blood and nerves
penetrate with supply and force to do the work of manufacturing.
A STRUGGLE WITH NATURE.
After all this has been done and a twist, pressure or obstructing fold
should appear from any cause, would we not have a cut off of motion to
return chyle, sensation to supply vitality, and venous motion to carry
off arterial supply that has been driven from heart above? Have we not
found the cause to stop all processes of life below diaphragm? In short,
are we not in a condition to soon be in a complete state of stagnation?
As soon as the arteries have filled the venous system, which is without
sensation to return blood to the heart, then the heart can do nothing
but wear out its energies trying to drive blood into a dead being below
the diaphragm known as the venous system. It is dead until sensation
reaches the vein from the sacral and pudic plexus.
LESSON OF CAUSE AND EFFECT.
Previous to all discoveries that have been made a demand for the
usefulness of such discovery, is felt and talked of for years, centuries
and cycles of time. Its discovery is an open question and free to all,
because in this fact all are interested. That lack may be felt and
spoken of by all agriculturists, and the inquiry directed to a better
plow, a better sickle or mowing machine with which to reap standing
grain. The thinker reduces his thoughts to practice, and cuts the grain,
leaving it in such condition that a raker is needed to bunch it previous
to binding.
His victory is heralded to the world as king of the harvest, and so
accepted. The discoverer says, "I wish I could bunch that grain." He
begins to reason from the great principle of cause and effect, and
sleeps not until he has added to his already made discovery, an addition
so ingeniously constructed that it will drop the grain in bunches ready
for the binder. The discoverer stands by and sees in the form of a human
being hands, arms and a band; he watches the motion then starts in to
rustle with cause and effect again. He thinks and sweats day and night,
and by the genius of thought produces a machine to bind the grain. By
this time another suggestion arises, how to separate the wheat as the
machine journeys in its cutting process. To his convictions nothing will
solve this problem but mental action. He thinks and dreams of cause and
effect. His mind seems to forget all the words of his mother tongue but
cause and effect. He talks and preaches cause and effect in so many
places that his associates begin to think he is mentally failing, and
will soon be a subject for the asylum. He becomes disgusted with their
lack of appreciation, seeks seclusion and formulates the desired
addition and threshes the grain ready for the bag. He has solved the
question and proved to his neighbors that the asylum was built for them,
not for him. With cause and effect which is ever before the
philosopher's eye, he ploughs the ocean regardless of the furious
waves, he dreads not the storms on the seas, because he has so
constructed a vessel with a resistance superior to the force of the
lashing waves of the ocean, and the world scores him another victory. He
opens his mouth and says by the law of cause and effect I will talk to
my mother who is hundreds of miles away. He disturbs her rest by the
rattling of a little electric bell in her room. Tremblingly the aged
mother approaches the telephone and asks "Who is there?" And is
answered, "It is me, Jimmie," and asks, "To whom am I talking?" She says
"Mrs. Sarah Murphy." He says, "God bless you, mother; I am at Galveston,
Texas, and you are in Boston, Mass." She laughs and cries with joy; he
hears every emotion of her trembling voice. She says to him, "You have
succeeded at last. I have never doubted your final success,
notwithstanding the neighbors have annoyed me almost to death, telling
me you would land in the asylum, because no man could talk so as to be
heard 1000 miles away; his lungs, were too weak, and his tongue too
short."
Now, friends, I have given you a long introductory foundation previous
to giving you the cause of disease, with the philosophy that I have
given upon cause and effect. I think it absolutely clear and the effect
so unerring in its results, that with Pythagoras I can say "Eureka."
SOMETHING OF MEDICAL ETIQUETTE.
To know we have found a general cause for disease, one that will stand
the heights and depths of direct and cross examinations, as given by the
high courts of cool headed reason, has been the mental effort of all
doctors and healers, since time began its record. They have had to treat
disease as best they could, by such methods as customs had established
as the best known for such diseases; notwithstanding their failures and
the great mortality under such a system of treatment. They have not felt
justified to go beyond the rules of symptomatology as adopted by their
schools, with diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Should they digress
from the rules of the etiquette of their alma maters they would lose the
brotherly love and support of the medical association to which they
belong, under the belief that, "A bad name is as bad as death to a dog."
THE MEDICAL DOCTOR.
He says that in union there is safety, and resolves to stick to, live
and do as his school has disciplined all its pupils, with this command,
"The day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Stick to the
brotherhood."
AN EXPLORER FOR TRUTH MUST BE INDEPENDENT.
The explorer for truth must first declare his independence of all
obligations or brotherhoods of any kind whatsoever. He must be free to
think and reason. He must establish his observatory upon hills of his
own; he must establish them above the imaginary high planes of rulers,
kings, professors of schools of all kinds and denominations. He must be
the Czar of his own mental empire, unencumbered with anything that will
annoy while he makes his observations. I believe the reasons are so
plain, so easily comprehended, the facts in its support so brilliant,
that I will offer the same, though I be slaughtered on the altar of
bigotry and intolerance. This philosophy is not intended for minds not
thoroughly well posted by dissection and otherwise of the whole human
anatomy. You must know its physiological laboratories and workings with
the brain as the battery, the lungs as the source or machine that
renovates the blood from all impurities, and the heart as the living
engine or quarter-master, whose duty is to supply the commissaries with
blood and other fluids to all divisions and sub-divisions of the human
body, which is busily engaged producing material suited to the
production of bone and muscle, and all other substances necessary to
keep the machinery of life in full force and action.
Without this knowledge on the part of the reader, the words of this
philosophy will fall as blanks before reaching his magazine of reason.
Thus this is addressed to the independent man or woman that can, will
and does reason.
THE DIAPHRAGM INTRODUCED.
At this point we will introduce the diaphragm, which separates the
heart, lungs and brain from the organs of life that are limited to the
abdomen and pelvis. A question arises at this point; what has the
diaphragm to do with good or bad health? At this time we will analyze
the diaphragm; we will examine its construction, and its uses; we will
examine its openings through which blood passes both above and below. We
will examine the opening through which food passes to stomach. We will
carefully examine the passage or opening for nerve supply to the abdomen
below, to run this great system of chemistry, which is producing the
various kinds of substances necessary to the hard and soft parts of the
body. We must know the nerve supply of the lymphatics, womb, liver,
kidneys, pancreas, the generative organs, what they are, what they do,
and what are demanded of them, before we are able to feed our own minds
from the cup that contains the essence of reason as expressed from the
tree of life.
A USEFUL STUDY.
The diaphragm surely gives much food to the one who would search for the
great whys of disease as reported causes seem to be far back in the fogs
of mystery. It may help us to arrive at some facts if we take each organ
and division and make a full acquaintance of all its parts and uses
before we combine it with others.
COMBATTING EFFECTS.
In all ages, the Doctor has for lack of knowledge of the true cause of
diseases, combatted effects with his remedies. He treats pain with
remedies to deaden pain; congestion to wash out overplus of blood that
has been carried to parts or organs of the body by arteries of blood and
channels of secretions and not taken up and passed out and off by the
excretories. He sees the abnormal size and leaves the hunting of the
cause that has given growth to such proportions and begins to seek rest
and ease for his patient. Then he treats to reduce by medicine to carry
the waste fluids to bowels, bladder and skin, with tonics to give
strength and stimulants to increase the action of the heart in order to
force local deposits to the general excretory system. At this time let
the Osteopathic Doctor take a close hunt for any fold in muscles of the
system that would cause a cut-off of the normal supply of blood or
suspend the action of nerves whose office is to give power and action to
the excretory system sufficient to keep the dead matter carried off as
fast as it accumulates. Let us stop and acquaint ourselves with the true
condition of the diaphragm. It must be normal in place, as it is so
situated that it will admit of no abnormality. It must be kept
stretched, just as Nature arranged that it should, like a drum-head. It
is attached all around to the chest, though it crosses five or six ribs
on its descent from the seventh rib to the sternum at the lower point
and down to fourth lumbar vertebra. It is a continuous slanting floor,
above bowels and abdominal organs, and below heart and lungs. It must,
by all reason, be kept normal in tightness at all places, without a fold
or wrinkle, that could press the aorta, nerves, oesophagus, or
anything that contributes to the supply or circulation of any vital
substance. Now can there be any move in spine or ribs that would or
could change the normal shape of the diaphragm? If so, where and why?
IS LEAST UNDERSTOOD.
The diaphragm is possibly the least understood as being the cause of
more diseases, when its supports are not all in line and normal
position, than any other part of the body. It has many openings through
which nerves, blood and food pass while going from chest to all parts
below. It begins at the lower end of the breast-bone and crosses to ribs
back and down, in a slanting direction to the third or fourth lumbar
vertebra. Like an apron, it holds all that is above it up, such as heart
and lungs, and is the fence that divides the organs of the abdomen from
the chest. Below it are the stomach, bowels, liver, spleen, kidneys,
pancreas, womb, bladder; also the great system of lymphatics of the
whole blood and nerve supply of the organs and systems of nutrition and
life supply. All parts of the body have a direct or indirect connection
with this great separating muscle. It assists in breathing, in all
animals, when normal, and when prolapsed by the falling in and down of
any of the five or six ribs by which it is supported in place, then we
suffer from the effects of suspended normal arterial supply, and venous
stagnation below diaphragm. The aorta meets resistance as it goes down
with blood to nourish, and the vein as it goes back with impurities
contained in venous blood, also meets an obstruction at the diaphragm,
as it returns to the heart through the vena cava, because of the packing
of a fallen diaphragm on and about the blood vessels that must not be
obstructed. Thus heart trouble, lung disease, brain, liver, womb, tumors
of the abdomen and through the list of effects can be traced to the
diaphragm as the cause.
I am strongly impressed that the diaphragm has much to do in keeping all
the machinery and organs of life in a healthy condition, and will try
and give some of the reasons why, as I now understand them. First, it is
found to be wisely located just below the heart and lungs; one being the
engine of the blood, and the other is the engine of the air. This strong
wall holds all substances or other bodies away from any chance to press
on either engine, while performing their parts in the economy of life.
Each engine has a sacred duty to perform under the penal law of death to
itself and all other divisions of the whole being, man. If it should
neglect its work of which it is a vital part, should we take down this
wall and allow the liver, stomach and spleen to occupy any of the places
allotted to these engines of life, a confusion would surely be the
result; ability of the heart to force blood to the lungs would be
overcome and cause trouble.
A CASE OF BILIOUS FEVER.
Suppose we take a few diseases and submit them to the crucial ordeal of
reason, and see if we do, or can find any one of the climatic fevers
that appear with its full list of symptoms and have no assistance from
an irritated diaphragm. For example take a case of common bilious fever
of North America. It generally begins with a tired and sore feeling of
limbs and muscles, pain in spine, head, and lumbar region. At this point
of our inquiry we are left in an open sea of mystery and conjecture as
to cause. One says, "malaria," and goes no farther, gives a name and
stops. If you ask for the cause of such torturous pain in head and back,
with fever and vomiting, he will tell you that the very best authorities
agree that the cause is malaria, with its peculiar diagnostic tendency
to affect the brain, spine and stomach, and administers quinine and
leaves, thinking he has said and done all.
Reason would lead seekers for cause of the pain above located to
remember that all blood passes first as chyme up to heart and lungs,
directly through the diaphragm, conducted through the thoracic duct,
first to heart, thence to lungs, at the same time rivers of blood are
pouring into the heart from all of the system. Much of it very impure,
from diseased or stale blood. Much of the chyle is dead before it enters
the great thoracic duct and goes to the lungs without enough pure blood
to sustain life. Then disease appears.
As a cut-off the diaphragm, when dropped front and down, and across the
aorta and vena cava by a lowering of the ribs, on both sides of the
spine; it would be a complete pressure over coelic axis, with liver
supply, renal, pelvic, to a complete abdominal stoppage. Then we have
over-due blood for other parts to send off dead corpuscles by asphyxia,
with no hope that it can sustain life and health of the parts for which
it was designed. Thus we know that nature would not be true to its own
laws, if it would do good work with bad material.
A DEMAND ON THE NERVES.
Why not reason on the broad scale of known fact, and give the "why" he
or she has complete prostration when all systems are wholly cut off from
a chance to move and execute such duties as nature has allotted to them.
Motor nerves must drive all substances to, and sensation must judge the
supply and demand. Nutrition must be in action all the time and keep all
parts well supplied or a failure is sure to appear. We must ever
remember the demands of nature on the lymphatics, liver and kidneys,
that nerves work all the time or a confusion for lack in their duties
will mark a cripple in some function of life over which they preside.
DANGER OF COMPRESSION.
At this time we see by all systems of reason that no delay in passage of
food or blood, can be tolerated at the diaphragm, because any
irritation is bound to cause muscular contraction and impede the
natural flow of blood, first through the abdominal aorta, and even to a
temporary, partial or complete stoppage of arterial supply to the
abdomen. Or the vena cava may be so pressed as to completely stop the
return of venous blood from the stomach, kidneys, bowels and all other
organs, such as the lymphatics, pancreas, fascia, cellular membranes,
nerve centers, ganglionic and all systems of supply of organs of life
found in the abdomen. Thus by pressure, stricture or contraction to the
passage of blood can be stopped, either above or below the diaphragm,
and be the cause of blood being detained long enough to die from
asphyxia, and be left in the body of all organs below the diaphragm.
A CAUSE FOR DISEASE.
Thus you see a cause for Bright's disease of kidneys, disease of womb,
ovaries, jaundice, dysentery, leucorrhoea, painful monthlies, spasms,
dyspepsia, and on through the whole list of diseases now booked as
"causes unknown," and treated by the rule of "cut and try." We do know
that all blood for use of the whole system below the twelfth dorsal
vertebra does pass through the diaphragm, and all nerve supply, also
passes through the diaphragm and spinal column for limb and life. This
being a known fact, we have only to use reason to know that an
unhealthy condition of the diaphragm is bound to be followed by many
diseases. A list of questions arise at this point with the inquirers
that must and can be answered every time by reason only. The diaphragm
is a musculo-fibrinous organ and depends for blood and nerve supply
above its own location, and that supply must be given freely and pure
for nerve and blood or we will have a diseased organ to start with; then
we may find a universal atrophy or oedema, which would, besides its
own deformity not be able to rise and fall, to assist the lungs to mix
air with blood to purify venous blood, as it is carried to the lungs to
throw off impurities and take on oxygen previous to returning to the
heart, to be sent off as nourishment for the system. It is only in
keeping with reason that without a healthy diaphragm both in its form
and action, disease is bound to be the result. A question from our side
of the argument is: How can a carpenter build a good house out of
rotten, twisted or warped wood? If he can, then we can hope to be
healthy with diseased blood, but if we must have good material in
building, then we should form our thoughts to suit the heads of
inspectors, and inspect the passage of blood through the diaphragm,
pleury, pericardium and the fascia, superficial, deep and universal.
Disease is just as liable to begin its work in the fascia and
epithelium as any other place. Thus the necessity of pure blood and
healthy fascia, because all functions are equally responsible for good
and bad results.
WAS A MISTAKE MADE IN THE CREATION?
At a given period of time the Lord said, "Let us make man." After He had
made him He examined him, and pronounced him good, and not only good,
but very good. Did He know what good was? Had He the skill to be a
competent judge? If He was perfectly competent to judge skilled arts His
approval of the work when done was the fiat of mental competency backed
by perfection. Since that architect and skilled mechanic has finished
man and given him dominion over the fowls of the air, the beast of the
field and fishes of the sea, hasn't that person, being or superstructure
proven to us that God, the creator of all things, has armed him with
strength, with the mind and machinery to direct and execute? This being
demonstrated and leaving us without a doubt as to its perfection, are we
not admonished by all that is good and great to enter upon a minute
examination of all the parts belonging to this being; acquaint ourselves
with their uses and all the designs for which the whole being was
created. If we are honestly interested with the acquaintance of the
forms and uses of the parts in detail by close and thorough examination
of the material, its form and object of its form, from whence this
substance is obtained; how it is produced and sustained through life in
kind and form. How it is moved, where it gets its power, and for what
object does it move? A demand for a crucial examination of the skull,
the heart, lungs, of the chest, the stomach, liver and other organs of
the abdomen is made. The septum of the brain, the pericardium of the
chest--the diaphragm of the abdomen which is a dividing septum between
the abdomen and chest. In this examination we must know the reasons why
any organs, vessel or any other substance is located at a given place.
We must run with all the rivers of blood that travel through the system.
AN EXPLORATION.
We must start our exploring boat with the aorta, and float with this
vital current; see the captain as he unloads supplies for the diaphragm
and all that is under it. We must follow him and see what branch of this
river will lead to a little or great toe, or to the terminals of the
whole foot. We must pass through the waters of the dead sea by the way
of the vena cava, and observe the boats loaded with exhausted and worn
out blood, as it is poured in and channeled back to the heart, with all
below the diaphragm. Carefully watch the emptying of the vena azygos
major and minor, with the veins of the arms and head all being poured in
from little or great rivers to the vena innominate on their way to the
great hospital of life and nourishment; whose quarter-master is the
heart; whose finishing mechanic is the lung. Having acquainted ourselves
with the forms and locations of this great personality we are ready at
this time after examination, and found worthy and well qualified to
enter into a higher class in which we can obtain an acquaintance with
the physiological workings separately and conjoined of the whole being.
At this place we become acquainted with the hows and whys of the
production of blood, bone and all elements found in them, necessary to
sustain sensation, motion, nutrition, voluntary and involuntary action
of the nerve system. The hows and whys of the lymphatics, the life
sustaining powers of the brain, heart, lungs, and all the abdominal
system, with their various actions and uses, from the lowest cellular
membrane to the highest organ of the body.
RESULT OF REMOVAL OF DIAPHRAGM.
When we consult the form of the cross-bar that divides the body in two
conjoined divisions and reason on its use, we arrive at the fact that
the heart and lungs must have ample space or room to suit their actions
while performing their functions. At this time a question comes up: What
effect would follow the removal of the fence between heart, lungs and
brain, above that dividing muscle, and the machinery that is situated
below said cross-bar? We see at a glance that we would meet failure to
the extent of the infringement on demanded room for normal work of heart
to deliver below lungs to prepare blood, and the brain to pass nerve
power to either engine above, and all organs below the diaphragm.
SUSTAINING LIFE PRINCIPLES.
The life of the living tree is with the bark and superficial fascia
which lies between the bark of the body of the tree, its periostium. The
remainder of the tree takes the position or place of secreting. Its
excretory system is first upwards from the surface of the ground, and
washes out frozen impurities in the spring, after which it secretes and
conveys to the ground through the trunk of the tree to the roots which
is like unto the placenta attached to mother earth, qualifying all
substances of constructing fiber and leaf, of that part of the tree
above the ground. Each year produces a new tree which is seen and known
by circular rings called annular growths. That growth which was
completed last year is now a stale being of the past and has no vital
action of itself. But like all stale beings its process is a life of
another order, and dependent upon the fascia for its life and cellular
action which lies under the bark, for its own existence as a living
tree. It can only act as a chemical laboratory and furnish crude
material which is taken up by the superficial fascia and conveyed up to
the lungs, and exchanges dead for living matter, to receive and return
to all parts of the tree, keeping up vital formation. With frost its
vital process ceases through the winter season until mother earth
stimulates the placenta, and starts the growth of a new being, which is
developed and placed in form on the old trunk. Thus you see everything
of animal growth as we would call them, is a new being, and becomes a
part of the next being or growth formed.
STALE LIFE.
Should this form of vitality cease with the tree another principle which
we call stale life takes possession and constructs another tree which is
just the reverse of the living tree, and builds a tree after its own
power of formulation from the dead matter, to which it imparts a
principle of stale life, which life produces mushrooms, frogstools and
other peculiar forms of stale beings, from this form of growth.
Thus we are prepared to reason that blood when ligated and retained in
that condition of dead corpuscles, and no longer able to support animal
life, can form a zoophyte and all the forms peculiar to the great law of
association, as tumefactions of the lymphatics, pancreas, liver,
kidneys, uterus, with all the glandular system, be they lymphatics,
cellular, ganglia or any other parts of the body susceptible of such
growths, below the diaphragm. Thus we can account for tubercles of the
abdomen and all organs therein found.
LAW APPLICABLE TO OTHER ORGANS.
This same law is equally applicable to the heart, lungs, the brain,
tissues, glands, fascia and all substances capable of receiving without
the ability to excrete stale substances.
As oedema marks the first tardiness of fluids we have the beginning
step which will lead from miliary tuberculosis to the largest known
forms of tubercles, which is the effect of the active principles of
stale life or the life of dead matter.
POWER OF DIAPHRAGM.
At this point we will draw the attention of the reader to the fact that
the diaphragm can contract and suspend the passage of blood and produce
all the stagnant changes from start to completed deadly tubercle. Also
the cancer, the wen, glandular thickening of neck, face, scalp, fascia
and all substances found above the diaphragm. In this stale life we have
a compass that will lead us as explorers from the North star, to the
South pole, the rising sun of reason, and the evening dews of eternity.
This diaphragm says: "By me you live and by me you die. I hold in my
hand the powers of life and death, acquaint now thyself with me and be
at ease."
OMENTUM.
The truth of the presentation of facts should be the principle object of
every person who takes his pen with a view to give the reasons why
certain witnesses' testimony are indispensable to establish supposable
or known truths. This being the case I have summoned before this court
of inquiry an important witness. He has now taken the oath to tell the
truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, of the case before
this court. His name is the Great Omentum. Mr. Omentum, state if you
know of any reason why or how by irritation from a misplacement of your
body or any of its attachments to or about the diaphragm, the spine,
stomach or other places that could cause irritation and thickening by
congestion of your own body to such degree as to impede the flow of
arterial or venous blood, over whose position you occupy much space from
the diaphragm downward? State what effect a falling down of the eleventh
and twelfth ribs on both sides of the spine with their cartilaginous
points turned inward and down; if they should draw the diaphragm down
and across your body? What would be the effect on circulation of the
blood, and other fluids on the kidneys and other organs of the abdomen
and pelvis? Would it not be the foundation for destructive congestion,
and abnormal growth? State if you know if any such ligation would cause
swelling by retention of blood in the spleen, liver, kidneys or other
organs of the abdomen and pelvis? Would it be reasonable to suppose that
you could perform your functions in office with any irritating condition
caused by prolapses of diaphragm? Would not an irritation of your
attachment to the diaphragm, spine or stomach be great enough to impede
the blood on its passage through the aorta to the abdomen, or impede the
flow of blood back and through the diaphragm? If so state how and why?