The whole of the modern medical practice of vaccine, serum, and antitoxin therapy is based upon the supposition that the body manufactures substances called anti-toxins, anti-bodies, antigens, etc., which are capable of meeting and destroying toxins that get into the body. The idea seems to be sound, although it is possible that the work of destroying such toxins is that of detoxification carried on by the liver, lymph glands, etc. Antitoxins, anti-bodies, antigens have never been isolated. They have only been assumed, while the practice based upon their assumed existence has been both a failure and a disaster. However, this may not be due to their non-existence. If they exist it is impossible to separate them from the proteins of the animal's blood and these proteins when injected directly into the blood of another animal are very poisonous. Besides this, there is no evidence that the anti-toxins of one species can be made use of by another species. Where vaccines are employed, it constitutes the introduction of the actual disease matter into the blood. That is, the supposed causitive germs or some product of the disease is introduced into the body. The consequences are often terrible. Real benefits are never observed.

If the hypothesis that the body manufactures anti-toxins, antibodies, etc., is correct it still remains to be proven that the body ever manufactures these greatly in excess of the need for them. It cannot be shown that "free" anti-toxins, anti-bodies, etc., are suspended in the blood serum and can therefore be transferred to another animal in sufficient quantities to be of use to the receiving animal. In keeping with a general law of life, it is very probable that the body does manufacture an excess of anti-bodies, but it cannot be shown that it retains these after the need for them has ceased. On the contrary, in keeping with another general law of life, it is very probable that the body begins to get rid of them the very instant the need for them ceases. If they exist they are chemical substances produced to meet an emergency and will be cast out as soon as the emergency ceases to exist.

5. The power and ability of the living organism to so order and arrange its functions and processes as to enable it to withstand the action of pathoferic agents and influences with the least amount of wear and tear to itself and to stay its inevitable dissolution for the longest possible time, where these agents and influences are too powerful for it to overcome. One of the most familiar examples of this power is that by which the body quickly accommodates or adapts itself to changed conditions or to various poisonous drugs. One's first chew or smoke is met by a violent systemic reaction against the poison. If such reactions were evoked by every chew or smoke they would soon exhaust and kill the organism. Adaptation follows to prolong life as much as possible in spite of the tobacco poisoning. The same is true of other drug poisons.

Man resists hypnotic poisons such as opium and cocaine, and narcotic poisons, such as tobacco, and such poisons as tea, coffee, alcohol, etc., and adapts himself to them, but the adjustment is far from being a victorious adjustment. As Sylvester Graham pointed out, the adaptation is accomplished by organic and mental changes that amount to degeneration. The adaptation results in permanent modification of the body and of consciousness.

Another familiar example is that of suspended animation. This is more often met with among the lower forms of animal life, although, many cases among human beings are on record. In the latter, such cases usually lead to premature burial, although some few have revived in time to save themselves. Suspended animation is simply a state into which the living organism goes under those conditions that are not favorable for continued active life and is a means which enables it to resist such conditions and preserve the status quo. Perhaps more such occurrences would be recorded were it not for the "sustaining" or stimulating practices in vogue. These practices prevent the full institution of this means of defense and render recovery from it impossible. They exhaust the powers of life while the suspension of animal functions is intended to conserve these.

If an inimical substance or influence cannot be thrown off or overcome, defense mechanisms of a more or less permanent character are called into being to prolong life as long and well as possible.

Of a defensive nature are corns and calluses that form on the feet and hands or any other surface of the body that is subjected to constant friction. The young clerk who deserts the store for manual labor finds his hands are tender and blister easily when he handles tools. However, before many days have passed the skin on his hands has thickened and hardened, ultimately becoming almost horn like. When this occurs he finds that no reasonable amount of hard work blisters his hands.

Still more remarkable examples of defensive structures are those of cyst formation and encapsulation. Encapsulation is the process of surrounding a body or substance with a capsule. A cyst or capsule consists of a cavity lined according to its origin by endothelium (in pre-existing cavities of connective tissue--exudation cysts) or epithelium (in preexisting epithelial cavities--retention cysts) with a fluid or semi-fluid content.

Those of chief interest to us here are known as Distention Cysts and are divided into :

(a) Retention Cysts: which are due to the obstruction of the excretory ducts of glands. The cavity becomes filled with the secretion of the gland which later becomes altered and circumscribed by a fibrous wall. These may develop in any glandular structure, as pancreas, kidneys, salivary glands, mammary glands, sebaceous glands (wens).

(b) Exudation Cysts; which arise in cavities having no excretory duct. These occur in bursae, tendon sheath, thyroid, ovary, tunica vaginalis (hydrocele), canal neck, certain ganglia, hygroma and the central canal of the spinal cord.

The effusion in pleurisy sometimes becomes circumscribed by adhesions, or it may be encapsulated to the diaphragm.

(c) Extravasation Cysts; which result from a collection of blood in a pre-existing cavity, e. g., tunica vaginalis, pelvis, arachnoid cyst.

Cysts also form around foreign bodies and around parasites. The most common parasitic cyst are hydated cysts due to the small tape worm, Tearia eehinococcus. These get into the body in food and drink and their larva find lodgement in the tissues. A wall of fibro-cicatricial tissue is formed around them. Such a cyst may become inflamed, suppurate or rupture. If the parasite dies the cyst may become thickened by absorption.

Cysts of disintegration form around disintegrating tissues as in the brain, in tumors, etc.

Around a foreign body, a bullet for instance, such a capsule forms. There is first inflammation and perhaps suppuration. But if this fails to remove the bullet a capsule of tissue in which is also fluid, is formed and the bullet rendered innocuous. A similar thing frequently happens in the lungs in the case of germs. Rausse thought this fluid was a variety of mucous and thought that chemical or drug poisons were enveloped in this same "mucous" to render them harmless, and that they were then deposited in the tissues. He says with regard to the fact that this theory cannot at present be demonstrated:

"This theory is founded upon the incontrovertible principle of nature in the elementary and organic world, that nature operates similarly under similar circumstances. Hence, the theory here offered loses none of its certainty, because we are unable to recognize with the unaided eye, on account of their minuteness, the inimical atoms and the minute net-work around them, and to exhibit them by section."--Water Cure Manual, p. 92, 1845.