按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
already been increased by fear； by anger； by exertion； by injury under anesthesia； or by anesthesia alone。
The complete data of these experiments will be later reported in a monograph； here it is sufficient to state that anger； fear； injury； muscular exertion； inhalation anesthesia； strychnin； alcohol； in fact； all the stimuli which we had already found to produce histologic changes in the brain； the adrenals； and the liver…excepting bacterial toxinscaused increased H…ion concentration。 Of striking significance is the fact that morphin alone caused no change in the H…ion concentration； while if administered before the application of a stimulus which by itself produced increased H…ion concentration； the action of that stimulus was neutralized or postponed。 If； however； morphin was administered after increased acidity had been produced by any stimulus； or by inhalation anesthesia； then the time required for the restoration of the normal alkalinity was much prolonged； and in some instances the power of acid neutralization was permanently lost。
After excision of the liver； the normal H…ion concentration was maintained for periods varying from one to several hours； after which the concentration （acidity） began to increase as the vitality of the animal began to decline； the concentration （acidity） increasing rapidly until death。 After excision of the adrenals the blood remained normal for from four to six hours； when the H…ion concentration increased rather suddenly； the increase being synchronous with the incidence of the phenomena which immediately preceded death。
In none of these cases was it determined whether the increased H…ion concentration was due to other causes of death or whether death was due to the increased acidity。
It is also significant that after the application of each of the adequate stimuli which increased the H…ion concentration of the blood in other parts of the body the blood from the adrenal vein showed a slight diminution in acidity； as； in most instances； did the blood from the hepatic vein also。
In fact； the H…ion concentration of the blood in the adrenal vein was less than in the blood of any other part of the circulation。
Kinetic Diseases
If our conclusions are sound； then in the kinetic system we find an explanation of many diseases； and having found the explanation； we may find new methods of combating them。
When the kinetic system is driven at an overwhelming rate of speed； as by severe physical injury； by intense emotional excitation； by perforation of the intestines； by the pointing of an abscess into new territory； by the sudden onset of an infectious disease； by an overdose of strychnin； by a Marathon race； by a grilling fight； by foreign proteins； by anaphylaxis；the result of these acute overwhelming activations of the kinetic system is clinically designated shock； and according to the cause is called traumatic shock； toxic shock； anaphylactic shock； drug shock； etc。
The essential pathology of shock is identical whatever the cause。 If； however； instead of an intense overwhelming activation； the kinetic system is continuously or intermittently overstimulated through a considerable period of time； as long as each of the links in the kinetic chain takes the strain equally the result will be excessive energy conversion； excessive work done； but usually； under stress； some one link in the chain is unable to take the strain and then the evenly balanced work of the several organs of the kinetic system is disturbed。 If the brain cannot endure the strain； then neurasthenia； nerve exhaustion； or even insanity follows。 If the thyroid cannot endure the strain； it undergoes hyperplasia； which in turn may result in a colloid goiter or in exophthalmic goiter。 If the adrenals cannot endure the strain； cardiovascular disease may develop。 If the liver cannot take the strain； then death from acute acidosis may follow； or if the neutralizing effect of the liver is only partially lost； then the acidity may cause Bright's disease。 Overactivation of the kinetic system may cause glycosuria and diabetes。
Identical physical and functional changes in the organs of the kinetic system may result from intense continued stimulation from any of the following causes： Excessive physical labor； athletic exercise； worry or anxiety； intestinal autointoxication； chronic infections； such as oral sepsis； tonsillitis； and adenoids； chronic appendicitis； chronic cholecystitis； colitis； and skin infections； the excessive intake of protein food （foreign protein reaction）； emotional strain； pregnancy； stress of business or professional life all of which are known to be activators of the kinetic system。
From the foregoing statements we are able to understand the muscular weakness following fever； we can understand why the senile have neither muscular power nor strong febrile reaction； why long…continued infections produce pathologic changes in the organs constituting the kinetic chain； why the same pathologic changes result from various forms of activation of the kinetic system。 In this hypothesis we find a reason why cardiovascular disease may be caused by chronic infection； by auto…intoxication； by overwork； or by emotional excitation。 We now see that the reason why we find so much difficulty in differentiating the numerous acute infections from each other is because they play upon the same kinetic chain。 Our postulate harmonizes the pathologic democracy of the kinetic organs； for it explains not only why； in many diseases； the pathologic changes in these organs are identical； but why the same changes are seen as the result of emotional strain and overwork。 We can thus understand how either emotional strain or acute or chronic infection may cause either exophthalmic goiter or cardiovascular disease； how chronic intestinal stasis with the resultant absorption of toxins may cause cardiovascular disease； neurasthenia； or goiter。 Here is found an explanation of the phenomena of shock； whether the shock be the result of toxins； of infection； of foreign proteins； of anaphylaxis； of psychic stimuli； or of a surgical operation with its combination of both psychic and traumatic elements。
This conception of the kinetic system has stood a crucial test by making possible the shockless operation。 It has offered a plausible explanation of the cause and the treatment of Graves' disease。 Will the kinetic theory stand also the clinical test of controlling that protean disease bred in the midst of the stress of our present…day life？ Present…day life； in which one must ever have one hand on the sword and the other on the throttle； is a constant stimulus of the kinetic system。 The force of these kinetic stimuli may be lessened at the cerebral link by intelligent controla protective control is empirically attained by many of the most successful men。 The force of the kinetic stimuli may be broken at the thyroid link by dividing the nerve supply； reducing the blood supply； or by partial excision； or if the adrenals feel the strain； the stimulating force may be broken by dividing their nerve supply； reducing the blood supply； or by partial excision。 No theory is worth more than its yield in practice； but already we have