There are many toxemias, some arising from simple chemical substances, arising as end-products of metabolism, or as slightly abnormal intermediary products, others arising from the formation of more complex substances, the exact nature of which is unknown, but apparently derived from the proteins of affected tissue. A complete chemical analysis of these poisons is not possible; nor is it vital to successful care.

Toxemia from retention of tissue waste--faulty elimination--is primary. Toxemia from faulty metabolism, due to affection of organs or functional disturbances is secondary. Enervation, which causes a checking of elimination, must precede toxemia.

Toxemia tends towards the further production of toxemia. The more the body is loaded with toxins, the less able it is to function efficiently. Just in proportion to the extent to which the body is free from hindering toxins is it capable of manifesting energy. Thus, toxemia becomes an inhibitor of elimination.

The animal body must at all times be delicately poised between an appreciable and a non-appreciable toxic state, the degree being determined by the balance that is maintained between anabolism and catabolism and the rate of elimination of catabolic products. Intoxication holds sway everywhere, even where no acute "disease" (biogony) exists, for constant chronic poisoning of the organism takes place under the sway of all enervating influences.

Chronic toxemia means a chronic state of inebriety, and, like chronic alcohol poisoning, leads to tissue and organic changes peculiar to old age, as hardening of the arteries, cancer, and other so-called "diseases." Toxemia is a form of drunkenness. When chronic inebriety of this kind is once established, it means, like all other types of drunkenness, an established "craving" for stimulation. If this is not had in one form, it must be had in another. Thrills and shocks of all kinds are necessary. Incorrigible and delinquent boys and girls require to be shocked and thrilled. This is what they derive from gluttony, tobacco, alcohol, sensational shows, excessive petting, and crimes of various kinds.

From the cradle to the grave, man's body oscillates between a mild toxemia and a state of toxic saturation; and any shock or stimulation, when near the saturation point, over-crowds toleration, arouses resistance, and a crisis develops. Hence the frequent biogonies that punctuate the lives of almost every one.

Toxemia is a variable condition. One may be comfortably free or have a comfortable and safe margin of tolerance until a single overindulgence (as at a banquet) in an abnormal amount of proteins, fats, sweets, and starches, suddenly increase toxic pressure. Then all that is required to precipitate a crisis is to have something occur that temporarily checks or closes one of the channels of elimination. Then it is that some attempt at vicarious elimination will appear.

The body harbors many simple and complex toxic substances. Toxins vary from slight irritants' to virulent and deadly poisons. Quantity and virulence determine the danger. They may produce anything from simple catarrh and erythema, to measles and whooping cough, or to diphtheria, smallpox, and bubonic plague. Ailments are due to the crowding of toxic waste into the tissues.

Toxemia is the common state of mankind. The volume of toxins in the body fluids varies from a negligible quantity to a state of saturation. These toxins muddy the waters of life, contaminate everything they touch, and lower the vitality of the tissues. Circulating in the blood and lymph, toxins come in contact with every tissue and pervert metabolism. Cell repair and cell renewal are not perfect.

That primary toxemia is the smouldering cause of every small blaze as well as of every great conflagration is certain. Secondary infections (poisonings) should be considered as accidental or supplementary to the main cause. This principle is fundamental and should not be ignored.

All people in the ordinary walks of life are potentially sick; all are toxemic to a degree. Although (hey have built more or less tolerance for toxins, they are not immune to their influence; but slowly succumb to their pathogenic powers. Pathology is organized change occasioned by habitual adverse stimulation, and can be overcome only by removing its cause. Acute disease, so-called (biogony), is poisoning of some character which causes death; or is thrown off, with recovery following.

The body quickly learns to tolerate metabolic toxins, just as it learns to tolerate tobacco and opium. Chronic poisoning establishes a toleration by breaking down resistance to its influence; but the organism pays for the "immunity" by general enervation and by lowered resistance to every other influence. How does the breaking down of resistance establish toleration? By rendering the body less capable of reacting to the poison. The first effect of the use of any poison brings about a reaction. The acute reaction following the first use of tobacco is resistance. Fever, inflammation, vomiting, diarrhea, etc., are measures of resistance. Resistance is reaction or "war" against the poison.

Toleration is submission. It is broken-down resistance. Toleration is not immunity. It is the man who tolerates lots of alcohol who develops delirium tremens, not the abstainer who cannot tolerate even small quantities. The opium addict who tolerates large quantities of this drug, not the non-user, suffers from opium. Tobacco heart does not develop in the non-user, but in him who tolerates lots of nicotine. Caffeine headache develops in the coffee user not in the person who does not use this drug.

It is a matter of everyday experience that the power of resistance to any particular poison is reduced by its habitual use. As the body becomes less capable of reacting to the poison, increasingly larger amounts of the poison are required to produce an effect equal in intensity and degree to the original one; hence the progressive tendency of all poison habits. By establishing a state of enervation a poison habit diminishes the power of resistance to other stimuli, and so prepares the way for greater general enervation--and lowered resistance to every other influence.

After toleration is established, acute reactions (crises) can be brought on only by taking the poison in unaccustomed amounts--in amounts greater than the body has learned to tolerate. Acute nicotinism may be produced in the tobacco addict by giving him tobacco greatly in excess of his accustomed amount.

Acute morphinism and death may be produced in the morphine addict by giving him an unusual amount of morphine. In like manner, acute reactions against toxin poisoning may be aroused by increasing the toxic load above the toleration point.

But slight amounts of toxin, or but slight decomposition poisoning are required to precipitate a reaction in the young, before toleration is established. As toleration increases, from habituation, ever larger amounts of toxemia and poisoning are required to bring on a reaction or crisis.

Poisoning, which is tolerated makes for degenerative rather than progressive adaptation in life, since the poisoning will cut off the organism from constructive physiological advance. Toleration means that the warning voice of self-protection has gradually been put to sleep, while the organism is undermined and premature death comes as a surprise to everyone. Tolerated toxins are the only cause of death not due to accident or violence.

Toxemia, which we assert is the universal basic cause of all pathology, is also an effect; for without pronounced enervation, existing long enough to check elimination and allow toxin retention and accumulation, Toxemia cannot evolve. Poisoning from without, or injury, may produce evanescent disturbances, but these pass when the poisoning has spent its force, or the injury has been repaired.