DEFINITIONS
Dis-ease
Webster defines dis-ease as, “an alteration in the state of the body
or of some of its organs, interrupting or disturbing the performance
of the vital functions, or a particular instance or cause of this;
any departure from the state of health presenting marked symptoms.”
In using this word chiropractically it is always hyphenated to
indicate that it is a condition wherein there is a lack of ease.
Incoördination is the term used in Chiropractic, meaning a lack of
coördinate action in the body which is caused by interference with
transmission of mental impulses.
Classification
Dis-eases are usually classified as constitutional and environmental.
A constitutional dis-ease is one that is due to defects in the
structures of the body such as dis-ease of digestion, while
environmental dis-eases are attributed to extrinsic environmental
conditions. The infectious dis-eases are given in this class.
Chiropractically all dis-eases are brought on by interference with
transmission of mental impulses caused by defective mechanism
of the spinal column. The so-called environmental dis-eases
are chiropractically the result of the lack of adaptation to
environmental conditions.
Acute and Chronic
Dis-eases are also considered to be acute or chronic. A dis-ease is
in the acute stage when there is a “hot box” found at the causative
subluxation. When adaptation has taken place and the “hot box” has
disappeared, the condition is in the stage of chronicity. Taut
fibers will then be present and by their presence the palpation and
location of the major subluxation may be verified.
It is well for the student to understand what is meant by such
expressions as the stage of exposure, the period of infection, the
stage of incubation, the period of invasion, the degree of infection,
even though we have no particular reason to use such terms in our
chiropractic explanations of dis-ease.
Stage of Exposure
The time during which the person is exposed to the morbific agents is
known as the stage of exposure.
Period of Infection
The period of infection is the time during which the pathogenic germs
actually enter the body.
Stage of Incubation
The stage of incubation is the time during which the morbific agents
develop within the body and for the time being have overcome the
natural resistance. The incubation period varies greatly in different
so-called contagious dis-eases, it being governed largely by the
character of the invading germs and the general health of the patient.
Period of Invasion
The time during which the germs remain in the body is called the
period of invasion.
Degree of Infection
The vital resistance of the body, the portal of entry and the
character of the invading germs determines the degree of infection.
We wish again to call the student’s attention to the fact that these
expressions are not used chiropractically to explain the cause of
dis-ease nor the different stages through which dis-ease passes.
Contagious
A contagious dis-ease is one that is thought to be transferred from
one individual to another by personal contact. From the etymology
of the term (contingere, to touch) we would conclude that only such
dis-eases as syphilis would come under this category. But as the
term is generally understood it includes such dis-eases as smallpox,
measles and chickenpox.
Infectious
An infectious dis-ease is one that is supposed to be conveyed from
one individual to another indirectly through some medium. Typhoid
fever has been given as an infectious dis-ease.
Today it is generally considered that the terms, contagious and
infectious, do not have a precise meaning which will scientifically
differentiate them, for most of the so-called communicable dis-eases
may be conveyed in many different ways. The so-called infectious
dis-eases may be contagious and the so-called contagious dis-eases
are infectious; so we see the terms lack scientific precision and
this has led to confusion many times.
Morbific Agents
Morbific agents are those agents which are thought capable of
producing dis-ease when introduced into the body. They are of
vegetable or animal origin. Those of vegetable origin are classed
under the general name of bacteria. The most important are named
according to their form. Those of the spherical shape are known as
cocci; the elongated, rod-like form, as bacilli; and those of spiral
form, as spirilli. The streptococcus pyogenes, pneumococcus and
gonococcus are illustrations of the cocci. The most common pathogenic
bacilli are bacillus anthracis, bacillus tetani, bacillus typhosus,
bacillus tuberculosis and bacillus influenzæ. The most usual
spirilla are vibrio cholera asiatica, spirillum of relapsing fever
and spirochæta pallida. Pathogenic action of germs upon the body may
be mechanical, biological or chemical. The mechanical action is an
interference with the physiological activity of the organs, causing
stasis and hemorrhage. The biological action causes inflammation,
infiltration and abscesses in the tissues. The chemical action is the
result of the toxins formed by the action of the germs. This is by
far the most important action.
Pathogenic Germs
Microörganisms are spoken of as being pathogenic and non-pathogenic
according to the adaptative action produced by Innate Intelligence
when they are introduced into the body. Pathogenic germs are those
which will do harm to the host when introduced under certain
circumstances. It has been demonstrated that a germ may be pathogenic
to one host and non-pathogenic to another. A germ may be pathogenic
to a host at one time and not at another, showing that immunity is
not constant in the same individual. The pathogenicity of a germ
depends upon the host and not upon the germ. Chiropractic has proven
that germs will not harm the body unless there is interference with
the transmission of mental impulses so that Innate Intelligence can
not bring about the proper adaptative action to the presence of the
germs.
Non-Pathogenic Germs
When there is complete adaptative action on the part of Innate
Intelligence and the germs are excreted immediately without the
production of symptoms or ill effects to the body, the germs are said
to be non-pathogenic. This is not so much because of the character
of the germs but because of the ability of Innate to excrete them as
waste material.
Communicability
This term refers to the ease with which the germs pass from one
host to another. Chiropractic has proven the fallacy of the theory
that dis-ease is produced in this way. Patients become ill with the
so-called communicable dis-eases and are not exposed to the germs
that are supposed to cause the dis-ease. It is also a proven fact
that the so-called germ dis-eases develop in many cases in which
there are no germs to be found in the pathological tissue.
Host
The host is an organism which affords lodgment and sustenance to
parasite and commensal organisms. The invading organisms may be
beneficial, they may be harmful or they may produce no effect.
Parasites
Parasites are those living organisms, either plant or animal, which
live in, on, or with some other living organism, known as the host,
from which they obtain their food, shelter and other advantages.
They are of two classes—ectoparasites and endoparasites—and may be
either plant or animal organisms. An ectoparasite is one that lives
upon the outside of another living organism known as the host. The
endoparasite is one that lives within the body of the host.
Commensal
A commensal is an organism which lives in or on another organism and
shares the shelter and partakes of the same food as the host, but is
not in reality a parasite. It is a close association of two organisms
for the benefit of one or both.
Antibiosis
This is a form of parasitism which is harmful to either host or
parasite or to both. By this process of antibiosis water may be
purified of many of the pathogenic germs. It is also maintained that
in many instances there is but one major condition in the body at one
time as a result of this process.
Symbiosis
In this form of parasitism the organisms are dissimilar, but neither
is harmful to the other while the state is beneficial to one or
both. Symbiosis will result in one condition becoming conducive to
another condition as, for example, presence of certain microörganisms
favors the development of tetanus. Germs are sometimes cultivated in
symbiosis with other germs. This has been done with the germs that
are found in leprosy.
Antibodies
Antibodies are bodies as the term would indicate, but refers to
specific properties of the blood supposed to be produced by antigens
and thought to accomplish a certain degree of immunity.
Antigens
Antigens are the substances which produce the antibodies in the
blood and body fluids. These are merely terms used to designate the
mechanism of immunity.
Saprophytes
Saprophytes are microscopic organisms which feed upon dead organic
matter. A saprophyte is a vegetable organism.
Obligate Saprophytes
Obligate saprophytes are saprophytes which can not be made to develop
under any circumstances in living tissue, but will develop in dead
tissue in which they produce toxins. The diphtheria and tetanus
bacilli develop in a localized area of dead tissue and produce the
toxins peculiar to this condition.
Septicemia
Septicemia is a condition wherein so-called pathogenic bacteria and
their accompanying poisons are present in the blood. These bacteria
may develop within the blood or they may be carried into the blood
from some local point where they are developing due to the condition
of the tissues as a result of interference with transmission of
mental impulses.
Toxemia
Toxemia is a condition caused by the absorption of toxins from the
bacterial activity. This is commonly known as blood poisoning.
Sapremia
Sapremia is a condition wherein the blood contains the putrefactive
products of saprophytic and non-pathogenic bacteria.
Epidemic
When a great number of people are affected in a community by the same
dis-ease in a short period of time it is said to be an epidemic. An
epidemic is said to obtain when dis-ease breaks out suddenly and
involves a number of persons at one time. There is a wide difference
of opinion as to the percentage of individuals necessarily involved
to constitute an epidemic.
Endemic
A dis-ease that is limited to a certain class of people or peculiar
to a certain locality or district is said to be endemic. Endemic
differs from epidemic in that epidemic refers to a dis-ease that is
more or less constantly present.
Sporadic
A dis-ease occurring singly or affecting only a few people is said to
be sporadic.
Pandemic
When an epidemic involves a large number of people in a large number
of countries, it is known as pandemic. There is a question as to
whether or not the word can ever be properly used. It is claimed that
the influenza epidemic of 1918-19 could really be considered pandemic
in view of the fact that the condition was found in all countries.
These terms are used very loosely and are applied largely to suit the
circumstances. A number of cases of a so-called contagious dis-ease
occurring about the same time in a community may be considered an
epidemic by some. There is no established rule designating the
percentage of individuals that must be affected by the same condition
in order that an epidemic may be established. An endemic dis-ease may
become epidemic at certain times of the year or when a greater number
of people than usual become affected. A sporadic dis-ease may become
epidemic when a greater number of people become affected.
Fomites
Fomites are substances capable of absorbing and retaining infectious
germs. The term is applied to inanimate objects and usually refers
to bedding, especially mattresses, clothing and more particularly to
woolen clothing. Such vectors, however, are not now receiving as much
consideration as they did previously. It is no longer thought that
such objects as books and furniture play any particular part in the
spreading of so-called infectious dis-ease.
The foregoing definitions will give the student understanding of the
terminology in general use. We will now take up a consideration of
the study of the subject proper of immunity.