diseases most space has been
devoted to disease of the heart. There is slight consideration of the
environment and social conditions as causes of disease.

Very few authors are mentioned in the text and no bibliography is
given. There is lack of literature dealing with the general aspects of
disease; the book moreover is not written for physicians, and the list
of investigators from whose work the knowledge of disease has been
derived would be too long to cite.

It has been assumed that the reader has some familiarity with
elementary anatomy and physiology, and these subjects have been
considered only as much as is necessary to set the scene for the
drama. I am indebted to my friend, Mr. W. R. Thayer, for patiently
enduring the reading of the manuscript and for many suggestions as to
phrasing.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

CHAPTER I

DEFINITION OF DISEASE.--CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING MATTER.--CELLS AS
THE LIVING UNITS.--AMOEBA AS TYPE OF A UNICELLULAR ANIMAL.--THE
RELATION OF LIVING MATTER TO ENVIRONMENT.--CAPACITY OF ADAPTATION TO
ENVIRONMENT SHOWN BY LIVING MATTER.--INDIVIDUALITY OF LIVING
MATTER.--THE CAUSES OF DISEASE EXTRINSIC.--THE RELATION OF THE HUMAN
BODY TO THE ENVIRONMENT.--THE SURFACES OF THE BODY.--THE INCREASE OF
SURFACE BY GLAND FORMATION.--THE REAL INTERIOR OF THE BODY REPRESENTED
BY THE VARIOUS STRUCTURES PLACED BETWEEN THE SURFACES.--THE FLUIDS OF
THE BODY.--THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.--THE HEART AND BLOOD-VESSELS.--THE
CELLS OF THE BLOOD.--THE DUCTLESS GLANDS 9

CHAPTER II

NO SHARP LINE OF DEMARCATION BETWEEN HEALTH AND DISEASE.--THE
FUNCTIONAL NUTRITIVE AND FORMATIVE ACTIVITIES OF CELLS.--DESTRUCTION
AND REPAIR CONSTANT PROCESSES IN LIVING MATTER.--INJURIES TO THE
BODY.--THE EFFECT OF HEAT.--THE ACTION OF POISONS.--THE LESIONS OF
DISEASE.--REPAIR.--THE LAWS GOVERNING REPAIR.--RELATION OF REPAIR TO
COMPLEXITY OF STRUCTURE AND AGE.--THE RESERVE FORCE OF THE
BODY.--COMPENSATORY PROCESSES IN THE BODY.--OLD AGE.--THE DIMINUTION
OF RESISTANCE TO THE EFFECTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT A PROMINENT FACTOR IN
OLD AGE.--DEATH.--HOW BROUGHT ABOUT.--CHANGES IN THE BODY AFTER
DEATH.--THE RECOGNITION OF DEATH 40

CHAPTER III

THE GROWTH OF THE BODY.--GROWTH MORE RAPID IN EMBRYONIC PERIOD.--THE
COOeRDINATION AND REGULATION OF GROWTH.--TUMORS.--THE GROWTH OF TUMORS
COMPARED WITH NORMAL GROWTH.--SI