LECTURE.

Evening Star, Issue 6478, 20 December 1883, Page 2

LECTURE.

A lecture on "Health, Disease, and the Acid Cure" was delivered last evenincr in the hall of tho Y.M.C.A. by Mr John Coutts. The lecturer remarked that health wa* most important to all _ to tho rich as well as those who earned their daily bread. Health was a thine sought after by those who lost.it, and when wo possess it wo do not prise it as wo ought. He then noticed a few of the leading principles of science, and stated that with regard to life there must bo energy or force. There was n uoh that was " unkownablo" about physical life and tho origin of tho same, and : with all tho scientific solutions of life there was etill much that could not be fathomed. Our special object should bo to understand health. The ancient Greeks wcro acute reasoners, and they eaid that tho camo laws which govern the world outside of us also govern ourselves. With regard to our body, the spine was tho great centre. Then branching from the spine were nerves which spread themselves over the body, and in doing so formed other nervo centres. There were the "ingoing" nerves, which communicated with tho pit of the stomach, and the " outgoing" nerves, which attached themselves to the muscles. Life ought to be the master of tin body, and should expel diseaso altogether. But what should be the definition of disease ? This was more difficult to define than health, for there were standards by which health could be measured, but none for disease, which was a fallinsr away from health. A mcessary consequence of disease was pain, ef which wc were all more or Ices afraid. We generally try to remove the pain instead of tho cause for the pain ; and we find that if Nature is opposed chronic disease was brought on, which resulted in hereditary disease. This was followed by disorganisation, and finally death took place. Our great object should be to assist Nature in her work to expel disease from tho system, not only for ourselves, but for our children, who would inherit our nature Another phase of disease was tho germ theory. Scientific men told of living germs in the air we breathe. FeTcrs and smallpox were produced by germs which transmitted the disease from one person to another, and it was a curious fact to note that one form of germ would only produce ono form of disease. For example, the germs of scarlet fever would only produe 3 scarlet fever. How aro these germs to be destroyed? If we could use plenty of fresh air and water the germs would be weakened. It was in cases like theso that the acetic acid was so beneficial; it produced a reaction on tho eurface of the skin, and if perchance the patient had taken a chill, thu3 sending the rash Inward, the acid brought it to the surface, which is not so serious. In derangements we should not think of the remedy to be applied, but consider tho conditions of tho body and what can he done with the remedy. Tho method of using the acid was next described. It should first of all bo applied to the spine. After a few minutes' application ono of throo conditions would appear, viz. (inflammation, which Is shown hy ft redness and smarting), healthy condition (a natural pink color), congestion (the skin will bo white and cold). No rubbing will bo beneficial until a glow Is occasioned by the application of tho aoid. In the ca3o of congestion some time will olapse beforo this takes place The glow of the skin is most imperative, as nogood c in be accrmplished unless this takes placo. With regard to tho acid treatment, ii was only a means of assisting Nature. Tho founder of hydropathy was once asked if ho could scientifically describe his system, and ho said he could not. He stated that ho could euro by assisting Nature to do her work. This was all the acetic acid claimed. In all our application we should nctice the effects produced, and act accordingly ;al this meant gaining knowledge. Wo ought not to bo afraid of scientific men and their discoveries. They only show us the lawsof God, and tho more clearly wo understand His laws, tho moro wo undorstand'llis thoughts. We must fully realise that knowledge is not everything; but tho uso wo mako of it is tho great thing. Tho meeting concluded with the usual votes of thanks to the lecturer and chairman.