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Chapter 17—The Use of Remedies
Disease never comes without a cause. The way is prepared, and
disease invited, by disregard of the laws of health. Many suffer in
consequence of the transgression of their parents. While they are
not responsible for what their parents have done, it is nevertheless
their duty to ascertain what are and what are not violations of the
laws of health. They should avoid the wrong habits of their parents
and, by correct living, place themselves in better conditions.
The greater number, however, suffer because of their own wrong
course of action. They disregard the principles of health by their
habits of eating, drinking, dressing, and working. Their transgression
of nature’s laws produces the sure result; and when sickness comes
upon them, many do not credit their suffering to the true cause, but
murmur against God because of their afflictions. But God is not
responsible for the suffering that follows disregard of natural law.
God has endowed us with a certain amount of vital force. He has
also formed us with organs suited to maintain the various functions
of life, and He designs that these organs shall work together in
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harmony. If we carefully preserve the life force, and keep the delicate
mechanism of the body in order, the result is health; but if the vital
force is too rapidly exhausted, the nervous system borrows power
for present use from its resources of strength, and when one organ is
injured, all are affected. Nature bears much abuse without apparent
resistance; she then arouses and makes a determined effort to remove
the effects of the ill-treatment she has suffered. Her effort to correct
these conditions is often manifest in fever and various other forms
of sickness.
Rational Remedies
When the abuse of health is carried so far that sickness results,
the sufferer can often do for himself what no one else can do for
him. The first thing to be done is to ascertain the true character of
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