CHAPTER X
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.