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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f57f44 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,13 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text +*.htm text +*.html text +*.png binary +*.jpg binary +*.svg text +*.pdf binary +*.bmp binary +*.zip binary +*.midi binary +*.mp3 binary diff --git a/78989-0.txt b/78989-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dd0fa5f --- /dev/null +++ b/78989-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,915 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78989 *** + + + + + LITTLE BLUE BOOK NO. 648 + Edited by E. Haldeman-Julius + + The Facts About + Rejuvenation + + Morris Fishbein, M. D. + + HALDEMAN-JULIUS COMPANY + GIRARD, KANSAS + + + + + Copyright, 1926 + Haldeman-Julius Company + + + PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + + + + +THE FACTS ABOUT REJUVENATION + + +THE APOTHEOSIS OF MEDICINE + +The medicine of the past was a medley of superstition, faith, theory +and tradition, lightened by gleams of accurate observation and +logical thought. The medicine of today is a science founded on actual +observations of the manifestations of disease in man and in animals, +in both living and dead bodies. The medicine of an early day was based +largely on intricate hypotheses as to the causes of disease. There +was no systematic search in the unknown in any way comparable to the +steady, steadfast progress of medical science resulting from research +during the last fifty years. The medicine of a previous epoch included +only the physician who treated the individual patient. The medicine of +today has changed this old profession, whose only function was the care +of the individual sick man, into a dozen professions, which include not +only the care of the individual patient but also the study of disease, +its prevention, the attack on disease, and the care of the public +health. + +No doubt everyone can remember the family physician of some twenty or +thirty years ago, who made his diagnosis largely by asking about the +progress of the disease from the time the patient first noted symptoms, +and by the use of such information as he could acquire with his unaided +senses. It must not be thought, however, that the information which +the physician acquires in this way is the less scientific because +it depends merely on the use of the hand, the ear and the eye. More +than one hundred years ago, two physicians made observations as to +the way in which changes within the human body could be discovered by +the use of these simple methods. Auenbrugger, in Austria, studied the +sounds that occur when the human chest is thumped. Everyone knows that +when you thump a cask that is half full of water the lower half will +sound different from the empty half. Indeed, an experienced Negro can +tell you the relative state of ripeness of a watermelon by a similar +test. And Auenbrugger used this simple method to ascertain when the +lung might be solidified by pneumonia, when the chest cavity might +contain fluid or pus as a result of some infection, when the heart was +enlarged beyond the normal limits as a result, perhaps, of overstrain +or disease. And when all of these things were carefully written down as +a result of thousands of observations made by physicians all over the +world, it became possible for those educated in this method to know, +with a fair degree of accuracy, the condition that existed within the +patient’s chest. + +A little later, in Paris, a physician named Laennec, while walking to +the hospital, noted two boys at opposite ends of a log, one listening +and the other scratching the log with a pin. He found that the boy +listened because he could hear the sound transmitted through the +log. The outcome of this simple observation was the discovery of the +stethoscope, the device which the physician employs to determine the +sounds that go on within the human body when the organs function. On +listening to the heart in which one of the valves has given way, one +may hear gurgling and murmurs which are the result of physical changes +in the heart. On listening to the lungs, one may determine whether +the little spaces are filled with air, as they ought to be when the +patient breathes, or whether some disease has consolidated the lung +and made breathing impossible. These observations are just as regular +and certain as any mathematical formula; they are as scientific as the +observations made by an engineer; they are as definite as the diagnosis +of a broken valve or a carbon-choked cylinder in a motor car. + +The textbooks in medicine of some fifty years ago were an unusual +conglomeration of the accumulated facts of the centuries and of +accurate observations made by careful physicians, mingled with queer +ideas as to why things were as they seemed to be and unestablished +rules based on the wrong interpretation of only partially understood +phenomena. There was, for instance, certain knowledge that the bark +of the cinchona tree, from which quinine comes, would stop the chills +and fever of malaria. There was not, however, the fact, later shown +by Laveran and by Rosa, that malaria is caused by an organism in the +blood which is transmitted from one person to another by a mosquito. It +had been observed that mercury would benefit syphilis, but no one knew +that syphilis was caused by a spiral organism which may be transmitted +from one person to another. It was known that certain drugs, such as +digitalis, would slow the beat of the heart and strengthen it, but it +was not known that it does this by action on the nerves leading to the +heart. + +The time, then, was ripe for a scientist like Pasteur, and particularly +ripe for the attitude of skepticism with which he approached the +established beliefs of his day. The credit for the great advance of +the last fifty years in medicine must be given to several factors: +First, a changing conception of the way in which disease is brought +about in the human body, due to the establishment of what some people +still call the “germ theory.” Germs are no more a theory than is poison +ivy. The results of the action of germs within the human body are no +more theoretical than is the eruption that follows contact with poison +ivy in sensitive persons. The second great factor influencing medical +knowledge was the application to it of facts and materials derived +from such fundamental sciences as chemistry, physics, anatomy and +physiology. And the third important development was the invention of +mechanical accessories to aid the human senses in studying disease, +both within and without the human body. + +After Pasteur had shown that bacteria do exist and that they cause +disease, Robert Koch, a German investigator and discoverer of the cause +of tuberculosis, established certain laws for determining whether +or not any single germ was actually responsible for producing any +certain disease. It is unnecessary to mention specifically each of +these laws; suffice to say that they involve the actual proof of the +fact that the germ is in the body of a person dying from disease, and +that the disease may be produced in animals by injecting them with the +germ. It would be undesirable to mention in this article all of the +diseases for which medical science now knows the bacterial cause; the +list would include, however, such diseases as tuberculosis, syphilis, +diphtheria, meningitis, typhoid fever, dysentery, pneumonia, lock-jaw, +cholera, malaria, anthrax, scarlet fever and a vast number of less +commonly known diseases. Hardly a year passes in which new germs are +not isolated and in which obscure conditions are not brought to light. +The recognition of this fact is of the greatest importance. If one +accepts the definitely proved facts as to the relationship of bacteria +to disease, one must at once discard all of those systems of healing +which claim that all diseases are due to a single form of disturbance +and are curable by a readjustment of that disturbance. There is not, +for instance, the slightest scientific evidence that pressures on the +nerves coming from the spine or on the blood vessels leading to the +various organs are responsible for the many diseases from which the +human body may suffer. + +Now this does not mean that medical science is in possession of the +facts regarding all diseases. Much remains to be learned. There are +such diseases as measles, chicken pox, mumps, German measles, epidemic +sleeping sickness, and even common colds and influenza, for which we +have no germ that everyone will admit is the cause of the disease. But +medical science, with its careful, systematic methods, has learned many +facts regarding such diseases, and the application of these facts is +important in their proper diagnosis and healing. + +I mention particularly the ways in which medical science calls on +mechanical aids in modern diagnosis. The modern physician utilizes +mirrors and lights to observe directly the inner lining of the +stomach, the bladder, the ear drum, the nose and the throat. You all +know the story of the young physician who put the mirror into the +woman’s mouth and said: “Madam, you have no idea how far we can see +with these things.” She leaped from the chair and said, “I beg your +pardon, doctor; I left home with a hole in the heel of my stocking.” +By means of the X-ray, the doctor is able to observe changes in solid +organs within the body; and through the injection of air into the +cavities, he is able, with the aid of the X-ray, to outline organs +heretofore not visible and to determine the condition of tissues +that cannot be touched. The laboratories have added information to +be gained from studies of the blood and from all of the secretions +and excretions of the body. Studies of the blood may show the type of +infection from which the patient suffers; may show the manner in which +he is responding to infection; may show whether he is anemic or has +a sufficient number of blood cells to conduct properly the chemistry +of his body. And these matters are not beyond the comprehension of +the ordinary human being. They may be demonstrated to any intelligent +person; in fact, in many laboratories these simple tests are regularly +performed by the people who have been trained only in the tests and +not in medical knowledge. The interpretation of the test, however, is +always a matter for a well-informed physician. Some of the cultists or +misguided persons who believe that all diseases are brought about by +pressures on nerves or on ligaments, by vibrations, by the influence +of the mind, or by any other narrow, restricted mechanism of disease +causation, should begin to realize that their theories must be +discarded in the face of such observations as these. + +I pass over also the newer methods in the treatment of disease, +involving the use of newly discovered antiseptics, of glands and gland +substances, of vaccines and serums, and of unusual drugs. I pass over +the beneficent effects of modern surgery and the newer anesthetics +which have been developed and which enable the physician to perform +surgical operations painlessly and safely, as contrasted with the +conditions a century ago that made operating rooms bloody shambles. +Even the brain, particularly unapproachable in a previous century, is +now the subject of operations for the removal of tumors and the relief +of abscesses. + +One by one, great infectious diseases and plagues have been brought +under control. Fever-infested swamps and the jungle of the tropics +have been freed of such menaces as yellow fever, malaria, African +trypanosomiasis, and other diseases transmitted to man by insects. +Through education in the value of a periodic physical examination and +through the teaching of personal hygiene, intelligent persons are +being enabled to live more and more comfortably. The death rate of +tuberculosis has been reduced by more than one-half; typhoid fever no +longer menaces communities which are willing to pay the price for good +milk supply, good water and proper sewage disposal; and inspection +of fresh and prepared foods has practically abolished the menace of +diseases formerly transmitted in this manner. Special attention given +to the problems of infant mortality has reduced the death rate in the +earlier years of life and an infant coming into the world today has a +far greater expectancy of life than did one coming into the world fifty +years ago. The child that might then have expected to live to somewhere +between thirty-five and thirty-nine years of age may now confidently +look forward, under all ordinary circumstances, to reaching the age of +fifty or fifty-five years. What hope, then, of giving that child an +opportunity to reach its allotted three score and ten? + +Everyone knows from his own casual observations that a great many +more people are living to a ripe old age nowadays than was the case +formerly. Indeed, these observations are the exemplification of the +statistics that have been cited as to life expectancy. The diseases +that still remain to cut down the human being at an earlier age than +that at which he might reasonably expect to depart this life through +the actual wearing out of the machinery which is no longer able to +renew itself include particularly the diseases of the heart, blood +vessels and the kidney. Such conditions as Bright’s disease, a chronic +inflammation of the kidney; as hypertension, exemplified through high +blood pressure and the symptoms that accompany it; as arteriosclerosis, +or hardening of the arteries; as angina pectoris and inflammations +of the lining of the heart and of its valves--all such conditions +constitute a problem which the medical profession must meet and which +it apparently cannot meet properly without the complete education +and cooperation of the public. Here are diseases, the prevention of +which seems to lie in the prevention of infections of the throat in +childhood, in the training of the child and man in the proper hygiene +of the nose, throat and intestinal tract; in the teaching to the +adolescent and equally to the adult of the desirability of a quiet, +well-ordered existence with a proper amount of food, exercise and rest; +and, not the least by any means, in letting people know that there is +such a thing as mental hygiene, including relief from worry or mental +strain. And then there is pneumonia, a disease likely to affect the +older man much more severely than the young one, called, indeed, “the +old man’s friend” because of the quick death that it produces in the +senile; and the “captain of the men of death” because of its severely +fatal character. The complete conquering of this infection seems +somehow to be resting on the threshold of the future. + +It is the belief of several competent statisticians who have given +careful consideration to the matter, that when these diseases are +brought under control, the life expectancy will be moved forward at +least another five years, but probably not a great deal more. The +trend of modern life seems to be toward speeding up, toward greater +mental strain and almost ceaseless activity. If, coincident with such +speeding, medical science is still able to promise another five years +of life expectancy to the phenomenal number of years that have thus far +been added, it will have accomplished a marvel beyond the dreams of the +medical scientists of fifty years ago. + + +THE FACTS ABOUT REJUVENATION + +There is no fool like an old fool--particularly in matters of +rejuvenation. For the senile, tottering old man, the world has had only +the pity that it confers on a Faust, who bartered his soul for a few +years of youthfulness; the ridicule that it darts upon a Don Quixote; +the mild amusement with which it listens to the tale of Ponce de Leon; +or the savagery with which it attacks the decrepit prey of physical +lust, inspired by inflamed tissues, who slakes his appetite with the +inveiglement of girls. Psychologists observe these as the expression +of the law of self-preservation, the reaction of the living toward +approaching death, the feeble call on unresponsive nerves and muscles +for power that they cannot give. + +Today the public is told again and again that the secret of restoring +youthful vigor to worn out tissues has been solved in the laboratories +of the Austrian Steinach and of the Frenchman Voronoff. Alas! medical +scientists, who like to be shown before they are convinced, mistrust +the evidence. They grant readily that the senescent graybeard with the +will-to-believe may be instilled with young ideas, but they have yet +to admit that any surgical operation, any transplantation of glands, +any decoction of plant, organ or mineral remedies will confer on the +withered form the machinery to put those ideas into action. Of the +mechanical contrivances, the glandular extracts, and the other forms +of hocus-pocus sold with claims for their ability to rejuvenate more +will be said later. Here the disciples of the scalpel who are reaping +something of a harvest in the field of surgical rejuvenation will +receive discriminating attention. + +Man’s search for the elixir of eternal youth was never a scientific +one previous to the period of Brown-Sequard. Long before that famous +French physiologist, however, scientists had been studying the nature +and the functions of the glands. It had been shown that the ability +to have children was co-ordinate with certain changes in the body +of the growing child. The voice of the boy deepens, causing great +embarrassment when a fine soprano statement suddenly changes to a basso +growl. The first inklings of mustache and beard send him to his mirror +for hours of painstaking scrutiny. He begins to take a more serious +interest in the female of the species. And it was taken for granted +that the development of these characters was the result of a special or +internal secretion poured into the blood by the glands. In science, +however, it is not well to take anything for granted. + +In 1889, the famous French physiologist thought that he had discovered +the potent substance in extracts of the glands. One need not be a +Freudian to realize the suggestion conveyed by the terms vim, vigor, +virility or vitality. It was not strange, therefore, that attention +should be turned to the peculiarly male organs in the search for +the important substance. Indeed, the most primitive savages of +cannibalistic nature were wont themselves to brew essences of the +organs of the enemies whom they slew in battle, believing that the +eating of the tissues was sufficient to confer upon them the prowess +of their vanquished foes. Nor is it surprising that Brown-Sequard, +having inoculated himself with extracts of glands, developed a +sort of similitude of youthfulness. He reported that he could now +climb a flight of steps with greater rapidity and ease than before +his inoculation. Nevertheless, at the appointed time, the body of +Brown-Sequard went the way of all flesh. And the skeptical scientists +who repeated his experiments, checking them with numerous cases +and controlling them with injections of plain water instead of the +extracts, shook their heads in dismay. The great scientist--for +Brown-Sequard was all of that--had yielded science to enthusiasm and +his conclusions could not be sustained. + + +THE THEORY OF STEINACH + +The conception on which the Steinach operation for rejuvenation is +based is not easy to comprehend. About 1903, two French biologists +claimed that the secretion responsible for maleness was developed +by a certain part of the male tissues. They asserted that this +portion developed particularly if the tubes were tied off. And +Steinach claimed that he had confirmed their experiments and that +the performance of this operation on old animals, particularly rats, +resulted in rejuvenation. + +Now the finding of a substance or a system of rejuvenation is much +like the finding of gold. Whether it is there or not, all of the +unsuccessful, romantic, and adventurous experimenters rush in on the +trail, and all of the aged and worn out capitalists come in as soon +as convenient to take advantage of the discovery. The cry of “gold, +gold” was taken up quickly by a number of young and enthusiastic +investigators, who followed Steinach. Some famous actors, physicians +and financiers who saw the waning of their power and note and of their +ability to enjoy to the utmost the lives that had given them so much +became subjects of the experiment. Where there are actors, authors +and financiers, there is also always, in these modern times, good +publicity. And where there is publicity not too careful as to the +facts, there are soon more applicants for operations. This, in medical +science, is known as a vicious circle. + +The careful experimenters who have followed the work of Steinach, +checking all his results carefully on experimental animals, have +demolished his claims bit by bit. Oslund of the Vanderbilt Medical +School showed that the Steinach adherents had been deceived because +of the type of experimental animal used. Since the theory of the +rejuvenescence is based on an over-development of cells that does not +actually occur, it can be taken for granted that cutting or tying of +the tubes with the idea of producing such over-development cannot cause +rejuvenation. And the work of Oslund has been confirmed by many other +investigators of established standing. + +Moreover, the belief that the male glands alone are responsible for the +development of male characteristics has been completely demolished. The +complete male features of mind and body, including the external organs +peculiar to the male, have been found in persons in whom the so-called +male glands were absent from birth, as proved by complete postmortem +examination. Furthermore, all of the features of the male sex have +been found in persons in whom the male glands were absent from birth, +but who had within the body a complete set of female glandular organs. +There is a great deal of much more technical evidence to support the +view that the male glands are not the only tissues concerned with +establishing maleness or femaleness of any individual. Perhaps the best +of it developed in experiments on hens and roosters, revealing hens +possessing the comb and wattles and even the feathers of the rooster, +yet living a hen’s life, laying eggs and hatching them out! But what, +you ask, has all of this to do with Steinach’s theory of rejuvenation? + +The elderly gentleman who prefers blondes is hardly likely to be +deterred by the details of technical experiments on mice, rabbits, +chickens, or dogs. For him, therefore, one presents the facts regarding +man. For many years the operation now called the Steinach rejuvenation +operation was performed on old men who suffered with a disease quite +common in old men. But in not one of the hundreds of cases in which +the tubes were cut or tied as in the Steinach operation did any of +the meticulous surgeons mention any restoration of youthful vigor +or anything resembling rejuvenation. This fact has been called to +the attention of Steinach and of all his followers again and again +in reputable medical publications, but an explanation has never been +offered. + +To the proof of the scientific laboratory investigators that the +Steinach method is founded on a fallacy, the Steinach adherents and +the surgeons who perform the Steinach operation reply with the sort of +cynical shrug of the shoulders that such practical men use in answering +laboratory evidence. They point with none too reluctant pride to their +records of cases operated on and to the letters of testimony. Here is +as simple a gesture as might be made by a moron, but hardly the sort of +thing one expects from a scientist. The same testimonials--in fact much +stronger ones--can be found for all of the nostrums and contrivances +that have invaded this fertile field. + +Opposed to the enthusiastic statement of Adolph Lorenz is that of +Professor M. Zeissl of Vienna, that the only change he noted after his +operation was less interest in sexual matters than previously. Opposed +to the quoted interviews of Dr. Harry Benjamin of New York concerning +the one hundred cases on which he operated with a claimed considerable +percentage of success are the records hidden away in medical literature +of thousands and thousands of men on whom such operations were done +without any noticeable response. + +There are, indeed, some records of senile men who put upon their +degenerated tissues far more of stress than they could tolerate. Here +the illusion of vigor produced an earlier death than might reasonably +have occurred without the operation and in the absence of the illusion. + +The prime exponent of the Steinachian miracle in this land that so +readily accepts overnight miracles in medicine seems to be Dr. Harry +Benjamin. In his earlier publications one finds no mention of any +possible mental defects associated with the surgical procedure. But +quite recently, regardless of the fact that he is without status in +the field of psychology and psychiatry, he begins to mutter somewhat +vaguely concerning the importance of coincident psycho-analysis. And +in the publicity concerning his efforts appearing within the past +few months appears what is, for so shrewd a man, a most incautious +admission: “The experts declare that the value of the Steinach method +has been much reduced by ignorance and by the opposition of doctors +who have mistaken ideas regarding the operation.” In other words, the +patient must believe thoroughly that the operation will give him vim, +vigor and vitality, or he doesn’t get it. For many years, physicians +who have specialized in the diseases peculiar to men have emphasized +again and again the great part played by the mind in controlling +the body functions. The records of the surgeons who do the Steinach +operations are without scientific controls. To what extent have they +checked their work by cases on whom the operation was not done, but +who otherwise were put through the same procedure? Obviously such +controlling of cases would be a most elementary and simple procedure, +but records of such control in their publications are sadly lacking. + +Indeed, these exponents of surgical art would seem to be providing for +the future in their claim that the operation may be repeated with good +effect and a second revival of powers bestowed on the waning patient. +Here is a biological revolution that bewilders the imagination! The +young men, handicapped in competition because of lack of experience +and of the world’s goods, will be compelled to struggle against their +rejuvenated fathers and grandfathers, while the latter, by repeated +operations, maintain a permanent lead. It’s a sad, sad outlook; but +fortunately it isn’t true. + + +THE VORONOFF CONCEPTION + +The contention of Voronoff, like that of Steinach, has to do with +the use of gland material for purposes of rejuvenation. He does not, +however, depend on any change in the tissues brought about by tying +off tubes. He actually transplants the entire glands, and since the +human material is not easily and generally available, attempts to +supply the deficiency with glands derived from the anthropoid apes. +In this instance also a vast amount of experimental evidence from the +past and from other workers of the present is available to disprove +the contention. True, there are instances in which the glands have +been absent from birth or lost through accident and in which the +transplantation of such material results favorably, but the records +again are not such as will convince any scientific reader of the +general merit of the operation. In the first place there is not in +any sense of the word actual prolongation of life, since none of +those on whom the transplantings have been done seem to live beyond +the normal period. In the second place, one reads such conclusions as +the following: “The pessimistic attitude of the patient and constant +brooding over his inability have marred the results of the treatment.” +Here again the part played by the will-to-believe seems paramount. + +When all of the evidence is assembled and considered _en masse_, +it becomes apparent that there is not as yet any actual proof that +rejuvenation has been accomplished in a single individual, or any +basis for the belief that it ever will be accomplished. + + +REJUVENATION: THE MECHANICAL AND GLANDULAR METHODS + +Rejuvenation is, in these days of young old-men and old young-men, +a word to conjure with. The astute purveyors of mechanical devices, +pills, lotions and systems of physical culture sold by the mail-order +plan have been quick to realize the wonderful “come-on” possibilities +inherent in the word. The result has been the interminable repetition +of the claim for renewed youth achieved through hundreds of substances +and appliances. The post office department itself is hardly able to +keep pace with the new developments in the field and its fraud orders +are issued usually after the promoters have reaped a fine harvest. + + +MECHANICAL REJUVENATION + +The senescent man or the youthful individual who finds himself +suddenly lacking in sexual vigor is a ready prey for the exploiters +of mechanical devices, urged because of their ability to encourage a +physical development that seems to be lacking. The average man in this +land of unenlightenment regarding the physical constitution has but +slight conception of what constitutes the normal in these affairs, +either as to physical growth or functional ability. Indeed, the more he +meditates upon the matter, the more he is likely to be convinced that +he himself is sadly lacking in these particulars, the psychology of +this view being dependent upon a will to achieve rather than on actual +knowledge. Moreover, the cleverly worded literature--and what a sad use +of the word this is--of the salesman of various devices is calculated +to intensify and emphasize this view. All of the advertising matter +is a paean of praise of sexual athleticism, and a weeping and wailing +over deficient performance, inspired to make still more mournful the +sexually despondent male. + +On December 5, 1925, the post office department issued a fraud order +against the manufacturers of a device known as the “Perfection +Developer,” one Walter H. Hartman of Columbus, Ohio, selling under +the firm name of “Hart & Co.” The simple device was merely a cylinder +of glass connected with a pump and designed to induce a vacuum. The +effects persisted only so long as the device was in actual use, and if +it had any permanent effects whatever, they could only be for harm. + +Another device of the same type was sold by one M. Von Schwarts and +William Billings of Ithaca, New York, under the name of the “Burt +Vacuum Tube.” This firm was barred from using the mails September 1, +1925. + +These devices are typical of most of the mechanical appliances offered +by mail for men lacking sexual vigor. Obviously, they can be of no +permanent service. Moreover, the psychology of their use is such as to +discourage any real possibility of improvement through rest, diet and +psychotherapy which long experience has shown are of value. + + +GLANDULAR REJUVENATORS + +Public interest in any new medical development is at once capitalized +by the promoters of nostrums and fallacies. It is not surprising, +therefore, that increasing interest and knowledge of the glands of +internal secretion should have aroused in the minds of some promoters +the possibility of unusual and unwarranted gains. + +In March, 1921, the “Youth Gland Chemical Laboratories” was +incorporated in Illinois; in February, 1922, the name of the +corporation was changed to the “Druesen-Kraft Chemical Laboratories.” +Later, it became known as the “Lewis Laboratories.” It was not, +however, until March 19, 1925, that the United States Government closed +the mails to this concern. In the meantime, it reaped a rich harvest +from the unwary. The advertising literature of this concern was of +a style so striking as to have merited some better use. A full-page +announcement in the newspapers was headed, in two-inch, black type, +“YOUR GLANDS WEAR OUT”; in the center of the page, he-men and she-women +danced the one-step in close embrace. And here are the phrases that +brought the replies: + + --It is based entirely on the principle of Feeding Actual Gland + Substance Direct to the Glands, thereby renewing and rejuvenating + them. + + --This method of giving new life to the glands is advocated and + endorsed by the leading students of gland therapy throughout the + world--including Dr. Arnold Lorand, who is generally conceded to be + the greatest living authority on this subject. + + --The actual Method of Treatment used by us is the result of + exhaustive experiments covering several thousand cases, during the + past two years. + + --The “Lewis” Treatment Is Practically Never Failing. + + --If You Could Prevent the Wear and Tear on Your Glands Caused by + Sickness, Age, Disease, etc., You Would Look and Feel as Young at 70 + as at 25. Science However Has Solved the Secrets of the Glands and + Now for the First Time Shows You the True Way to KEEP or REGAIN Your + Vigor by Feeding and Replenishing the Most Important Glands! + + --Build Up Your Glands and You Build Up Your Strength and Endurance. + +The evidence is clear that the firm did exceedingly well from a +financial point of view. The original price of the treatment was +$10.00, which, on occasion, could be reduced to $7.50, and, if the +victim still failed to succumb, to a special offer of $2.95. The court +records in the case showed that the firm had spent at least $300,000.00 +in advertising, and that it had a gross annual income of between +$250,000.00 and $300,000.00. Nevertheless, scientific evidence has +shown that extracts or other preparations of the sex glands are without +power when taken by mouth. They not only fail to produce rejuvenation +of the entire body, but even to stimulate to any extent the particular +portions of the body in which the applicant for rejuvenation seems to +be especially interested. + +Another concern, with headquarters in Denver, issued a booklet entitled +“The Secret of Staying Young.” Here were the testimonials of elderly +men, 82, 83 and 84 years of age, who announced that they had lasting +benefits from the treatments offered. These testimonials are just as +vociferous and emphatic as those of aspirants for youth operated on by +the disciples of Steinach. The treatments consisted of nothing more +than dried animal glands, taken by mouth, which, as has been said, +could not possibly have the effects claimed for them. The concern +exploiting these desiccated glands, the “Vital-O-Gland Company,” not +content with depending on the mental responses of those who took +its preparations by mouth, sold at the same time the usual vacuum +developer, a glass tube attached to a bicycle pump. When the Government +investigated this concern, it found twenty-two girls and five men +occupied in sending out the salacious literature. The evidence revealed +that the gross income of the concern for 1923 was $176,406.82. +Rejuvenation pays! + +The Vital-O-Gland Company and the Lewis Laboratories have been barred +by the Government from the use of mails, but there still remain many +concerns offering, both to physicians and to the public, glandular +preparations for rejuvenation or for sexual stimulation. There will +always be senescent, somewhat lewd and sad old men to waste the funds +of their declining years on such powerless pills. The memories of youth +become more and more resplendent with the passing years. + +The Glandine Laboratories of Chicago and Los Angeles issues a circular +with the question, “Must We Grow Old?” and with the answer, “Science +Says, No.” The treatments consist of extracts of the sex glands to +be taken by mouth. The Glandex Company of New York advertised in +the public press a combination of gland extracts with iron. The +International Research Laboratories of Chicago advertised “Baker’s +Glandol,” with a salacious pamphlet emphasizing the rejuvenation of +man, and with such headings as “The Most Interesting Thing Is Love. +Don’t Waste Life. Luck from Boldness and Suppressed Desires.” Where is +the man who could resist the plea? + +The Puritan Laboratories of Nashville, Tennessee, issues “Glandtone,” +offered with the claim that it will restore youthful vigor to those +passing with age. The Walton Chemical Company of Chicago emphasizes +the glands and says that a combination of the sex glands, the thyroid, +prostate, pituitary and adrenal, hermetically sealed, will defer +old age and renew vitality. What of the impudence and psychological +cleverness of its warning: + + +WARNING! + + The country is being flooded with literature from so-called + “Laboratories,” offering to restore Sex STRENGTH in the forms of + unsealed “Gland Tablets” or “Liquids.” + + Such preparations may contain some gland substance, but unless the + ingredients are SEALED to preserve their strength, the potency may be + entirely gone in a few days. + + The Walton Treatment INSURES the STRENGTH of the INGREDIENTS and + thousands have found this method SUCCESSFUL even after years and + years of previous failure with other methods of treatment. + + In fact, fully three out of four who write of their remarkable + results with this new method, say they had taken many other + Treatments or methods without relief. + +Bear in mind that there is not an iota of evidence to show that any +preparation of male sex glands, singly or in combination, has ever +been shown to have the slightest effect on the human body when given +by mouth. It was the hope and the belief of Brown-Sequard that he had +found such a substance. Even he thought that the taking of sex glands +brought about in him a sort of rejuvenation. Yet in the more than fifty +years since his passing, and since his claims were disproved, the +public has not learned the truth. + + +RADIUM AND LIGHT + +With the coming of the newer discoveries in medicine as to the effects +on the human body of radium, the X-ray and ultra violet light, the +agile-minded exploiters of the public’s interest in keeping young were +again quick to respond with the preparation and sale of such apparatus +and material for purposes of rejuvenation. Of course, rejuvenation is +not a physical state that can be easily determined accurately. The old +man with declining powers is ready to welcome the slightest sign of +increasing ability in physical work or in sexual activity. He forgets +to reason that the rest and the mental stimulation associated with +any new method of treatment are likely to bring about the illusion of +strength. + +The manufacturer of a cabinet lined with incandescent lamps, for +example, is not content to claim for it the simple uses of a sweat +bath, or of heat produced by incandescent lamps. Ah! No! This simple +cabinet becomes as by the wave of a magician’s want, an “Inductive +Metabolizing Method.” And the manufacturer says: + + The ---- Inductive Metabolizing method gives to the world one of the + greatest, if not the greatest, means of rejuvenation of the human + organism known to medicine, but the part that is most interesting + about this modality is that of its synergetic action with all the + recognized methods of rejuvenation now in use--such as gland therapy, + radioactive drinking water, baths, etc., as the results obtained by + their use, when accompanied by the Inductive Metabolizing treatments, + are increased tenfold. + +One can almost picture him rubbing his hands in glee as he murmurs: +“Rejuvenation: That’s the word that gets ’em!” + +The makers of apparatus containing radium or the blenders of waters +which have been submitted to the rays of this wondrous element urge +also its potency for rejuvenation. They point knowingly to the +radioactive springs of Germany and Switzerland and cite the records of +the old men who have visited those springs and returned home younger in +body, if not in years. But they too neglect the effect of weeks of rest +and freedom from care, of good diet and salubrious surroundings, and +possibly--in fact, probably--of enforced inactivity for those portions +of the anatomy whose physical functioning persists in remaining the +center of interest when rejuvenation is discussed. + + +“THE NEW SCIENCE OF RADIENDOCRINOLOGY” + +If radiation rejuvenates--although of course it doesn’t--and if +glands rejuvenate--and it has been shown that they do not--then, say +the manufacturers of the Radiendocrinator, the combination will get +the result. Merely ray the glands with the Radiendocrinator--price +$150.00--and you are there! The booklets are a hodgepodge of +exaggerations, fallacies, and confusions regarding chemistry, physics, +biology, glands, radium, and whatnot. But the convincing document is +a blue-colored bonded guarantee of satisfaction or money refunded. +Couched in language that seems to make the chance of financial loss +to the unwary impossible, the guarantee is nevertheless a snare and a +delusion. Launched originally by Dr. Herman H. Rubin, New York, as a +device to be worn at night over the glands and selling at $1,000.00, +the apparatus is now a reflector on a stand and can be purchased for +$150.00 But for pure romance the literature is at least ten times as +fanciful. + + +THE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE + +Even the Greek philosophers murmured that physical powers in matters +of sex did not always parallel brain capacity. Strange that the sex +instinct should be so deeply rooted and so prominent in life that +two thousand years of experience has failed to convince men of the +truthfulness of that statement. + +Modern science has shown that the early detection of signs of disease +by physical examination, and the establishment of a proper regime of +life, including adequate rest, diet, exercise, simple personal hygiene, +and freedom from worry will greatly extend the life of the average +man. He may quite reasonably hope to live to seventy years and if he +is at all careful considerably beyond that age. It behooves him then +to grow old gracefully, remembering that much of the greatest work of +this world done in art, letters, invention, finance and statesmanship +has been done by men well beyond sixty years of age. Their minds were +perhaps little given to the purely pleasurable functions of the bodies +which constituted the abodes of their restless spirits. + + +THE ANTIVIVISECTIONIST AND ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION + +George Jean Nathan, in that immortal document _Pistols for Two_ in +which he and Monsieur Mencken, using the cognomen Maj. Owen Hatteras, +gave an unsuspecting world an insight into their personal characters +and characteristics, tells us which of his aphorisms delights him most. +Of all the soul-searching mots perpetrated by this astute coiner of +phrases, the one he selected is likewise the one that gives me most +joy. “An antivivisectionist,” said Dr. Nathan, “is a woman who strains +at a guinea pig and swallows a baby.” There it is in a nutshell! A +Freudian might claim that the term “nutshell” was prominent in my mind +because I was discussing the antivivisectionist. + +At a period when the whole world begins to turn to science as the +real goal of mankind; when intelligent human beings begin to discard +pseudo-sentiment for fact, the followers of what is essentially merely +an illogical, fanatical cult continue to oppose progress if it is to +involve in any way what they conceive to be abuse of the lower animals +for purposes of study. This opposition seems to rest invariably +on a lack of actual knowledge of what animal experimentation has +accomplished for mankind, of what it has contributed to the life and +comfort of the animal, of the extent to which the animal may suffer +in the cause of experimentation, and of the very rules which the +scientists themselves have elaborated to safeguard their work with +animals. + +It is impossible in the scope of a brief article even to enumerate all +that has been learned by animal experimentation. Without the aid of +this method Pasteur could not have founded the science of bacteriology; +such diseases as hydrophobia, tuberculosis, yellow fever, plague, +scarlet fever, diphtheria and diabetes would not have passed under +the control of scientific medicine but would have continued to take +their immense toll of life and to cause immeasurable economic loss +through illness. Indeed, to calculate the sums saved and earned through +preventing illness, through opening up countries constantly menaced +by disease, through the building of the Panama Canal, and through the +saving of workers in industry, would produce a figure so vast as to be +almost incredible. + +Anyone who has seen a child, succumbing to the gradual encroachment +of the diphtheric membrane in its throat, suddenly respond to the +marvelous effects of diphtheria antitoxin will oppose to the utmost +any attempt to deprive that child of the remedy. In preparing +antitoxin the horse is required for the production of the serum and +the guinea pig for standardization. I have seen the horses used for +such service. Their paths are spread in pleasant places. They toil +not at all, they are kept clean, they frolic in the open air except +when the weather may be inclement. They are well fed and given the +best of attention. I have seen the serum withdrawn and seen the horse +make no more visible sign of protest than is made by the average man +when he sticks his finger on a pin in the back of his wife’s dress. I +have seen guinea pigs by the thousands utilized for this work. If I +am any judge of guinea pig emotions they do not suffer unduly in the +process. I have never seen a guinea pig suffer as much as a hysterical +antivivisectionist suffers at a dog and pony show or a circus. + +Before the discovery of the serum for epidemic meningitis from fifty +to seventy-five percent of all who were afflicted died. When the serum +is given the mortality is below twenty-five percent of those affected, +and this says nothing of the saving in illness and in permanently +disabling after effects. In the investigation which led to this +discovery rabbits, guinea pigs, horses and monkeys were employed. In +a war, nations sacrifice the lives of hundreds of thousands of their +finest young men; the people are told that the sacrifice is made so +that women and children may have a safe place in which to live. Shall +the lives of rabbits and guinea pigs be weighed against the lives of +the same children threatened by far greater dangers than those of war: +the dangers of infectious disease? Puerperal infection which killed the +woman in childbirth was controlled through animal experimentation. What +about saving women from that menace? + +It is not alone the so-called biological remedies such as antitoxins, +vaccines and serums that are dependent on animal experimentation. Most +of the potent drug remedies used today for the alleviation and cure of +disease must be tested and standardized by the use of animals. Most +of our important synthetic drugs were first evolved only by the use +of animals. The anesthetics such as ether, chloroform, ethylene and +nitrous oxide gas have the same effects on animals that they have on +man. Was it not right that they should be tested first on animals? Such +drugs as digitalis, which makes the lives of many persons suffering +from heart disease endurable, have to be standardized by animal tests. +Shall the poisonous doses of potent drugs be learned by tests made on +the white rat or the guinea pig or on man; or worse still, shall we +permit men to die or suffer mutilation to spare the feelings of the +white mouse? Isn’t it after all a question of sparing the hyperesthetic +sensibilities of some idle woman rather than the duller sensibilities +of some lower animal? + +One by one the infectious diseases that attack man are being brought +under control. There still remain those incurable diseases such as +cancer, those conditions such as Bright’s disease, high blood pressure, +heart disease and diabetes, which may be alleviated but have not been +completely conquered. Shall the methods that have brought success in +the control of some diseases be discarded at the whim of misguided +and unreasoning followers of this cult opposed to human progress? Of +course, animal experimentation never will be discarded. After all, the +progress of scientific medicine is a powerful movement sweeping on and +on with ever increasing impetus. + + +ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION BENEFITS THE ANIMAL + +Strangely enough the lower animals have benefited as much as has man +himself through the progress made by animal experimentation. Hog +cholera serum, the tuberculin test for cattle, the control of hoof and +mouth disease, puerperal sepsis in cattle, hydrophobia, fowl plague, +and the many worm diseases that afflict animals depend for their +control on the same type of experimentation that yielded results for +the diseases of man. + +There is another side of the question that has its humorous aspects. It +is necessary to kill hundreds of thousands of stray dogs and cats in +our large cities to keep them from overrunning the human inhabitants. +It has been estimated that a single pair of rats, if permitted to +breed unchecked, might produce within three years a number of progeny +running into eighteen or twenty-four figures. Everyone knows about the +prolificity of guinea pigs and rabbits which multiply inordinately. +Who shall say that these uses of science are not as kind a fate, as +satisfactory an existence, as is the hunting down of the surplus by +the hunter, the trapper, the poisoner, or the poundmaster? As we have +shown, the horse used for the production of serum has a far happier +life than the drawer of burdens in the ownership of some unthinking +careless human being. + + +RULES CONTROLLING SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTATION + +Medical scientists have not waited for government or other supervision +to establish control over animal experimentation that will make it +as nearly perfect as possible in preventing unnecessary pain and in +providing animals with the best of care. A committee of the American +Medical Association regularly functions for no other purpose. Under the +control of this committee each laboratory binds itself to observe the +rules laid down and to post those rules regularly in each department. +The rules require that animals be held at least as long as they are +held at the city pound; that they receive every consideration for their +bodily comfort; that no operations be made, except with the sanction +of the director of the laboratory; that animals be anesthetized and +rendered incapable of receiving pain in all operations, except in +those in which anesthesia would defeat the object of the experiment, +and finally that animals be killed painlessly at the conclusion of the +experiment. These rules are most rigidly enforced and laboratories +throughout the country are open to inspection by anyone interested from +a scientific point of view, or from the point of view of control of +this work. + +If it be true, as has been said again and again, that science is +the hope of the future for the progress of humanity, those who +obstruct this progress by needless and unwarranted follies should be +considered as subjects for mental investigation, or else as misguided +sentimentalists whom one condones, but whom one does not take too +seriously. + + + + +Transcriber’s Note: + +- Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). + +- Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. + +- Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice. + +- Spelling was retained as in the original except for the following changes: + + Page 1: “D. Haldeman-Julius” to “E. Haldeman-Julius” + Page 5: “such as digitalis, woud” to “such as digitalis, would” + Page 10: “Such conditions as Brights” to “Such conditions as Bright’s” +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78989 *** diff --git a/78989-h/78989-h.htm b/78989-h/78989-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7686ec7 --- /dev/null +++ b/78989-h/78989-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1453 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + The Facts About Rejuvenation | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; + text-indent: 1em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} +table.autotable { border-collapse: collapse; } +table.autotable td, +table.autotable th { padding: 0.25em; } + +.tdl {text-align: left;} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.center {text-align: center; text-indent:0; font-weight: bold; } + +figcaption {font-weight: bold;} +figcaption p {margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: .2em; text-align: inherit;} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 {width: 100%;} + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.tnote { + border: dashed 1px; + font-size: smaller; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + padding-bottom: 0.5em; + padding-top: 0.5em; + padding-left: 0.5em; + padding-right: 0.5em; + } + +.x-ebookmaker .tnote { + margin-left: 0; + margin-right: 0 + } + +.tnote p { + text-indent: 0 + } + +ins { + text-decoration: none + } + +.ph2, .ph3, .ph4 { + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0; + font-weight: bold; +} + +.ph2 { font-size: x-large; margin: 0.75em auto; } + +.ph3 { font-size: large; margin: 0.83em auto; } + +.ph4 { font-size: medium; margin: 1.12em auto; } + +.illowp45 { + width: 45%; + max-width: 100em + } + +.x-ebookmaker .illowp45 { + width: 100% + } + </style> +</head> + +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78989 ***</div> + + +<figure class="figcenter illowp45" id="cover"> + <img alt="" class="w100" src="images/cover.jpg" id="img_images_cover.jpg"> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</span></p> + +<p class="ph2">LITTLE BLUE BOOK NO. 648</p> +<p class="ph3">Edited by <ins title="Original has 'D.'" id="E">E.</ins> Haldeman-Julius</p> + +<h1>The Facts About<br> +Rejuvenation +</h1> + +<p class="ph2">Morris Fishbein, M. D.</p> + +<br><br> + +<p class="ph3">HALDEMAN-JULIUS COMPANY</p> +<p class="ph3">GIRARD, KANSAS</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</span></p> + +<br><br> + +<p class="ph3">Copyright, 1926</p> +<p class="ph3">Haldeman-Julius Company</p> + +<br><br> + +<p class="ph4">PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</span></p> + + <h2>THE FACTS ABOUT REJUVENATION</h2> +</div> + +<h3>THE APOTHEOSIS OF MEDICINE</h3> + +<p>The medicine of the past was a medley of +superstition, faith, theory and tradition, lightened +by gleams of accurate observation and +logical thought. The medicine of today is a +science founded on actual observations of the +manifestations of disease in man and in animals, +in both living and dead bodies. The +medicine of an early day was based largely on +intricate hypotheses as to the causes of disease. +There was no systematic search in the unknown +in any way comparable to the steady, +steadfast progress of medical science resulting +from research during the last fifty years. The +medicine of a previous epoch included only the +physician who treated the individual patient. +The medicine of today has changed this old +profession, whose only function was the care +of the individual sick man, into a dozen professions, +which include not only the care of +the individual patient but also the study of +disease, its prevention, the attack on disease, +and the care of the public health.</p> + +<p>No doubt everyone can remember the family +physician of some twenty or thirty years ago, +who made his diagnosis largely by asking +about the progress of the disease from the +time the patient first noted symptoms, and by +the use of such information as he could acquire +with his unaided senses. It must not +be thought, however, that the information +which the physician acquires in this way is the +less scientific because it depends merely on +the use of the hand, the ear and the eye. More +than one hundred years ago, two physicians +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</span>made observations as to the way in which +changes within the human body could be discovered +by the use of these simple methods. +Auenbrugger, in Austria, studied the sounds +that occur when the human chest is thumped. +Everyone knows that when you thump a cask +that is half full of water the lower half will +sound different from the empty half. Indeed, +an experienced Negro can tell you the relative +state of ripeness of a watermelon by a +similar test. And Auenbrugger used this simple +method to ascertain when the lung might +be solidified by pneumonia, when the chest +cavity might contain fluid or pus as a result +of some infection, when the heart was enlarged +beyond the normal limits as a result, +perhaps, of overstrain or disease. And when +all of these things were carefully written down +as a result of thousands of observations made +by physicians all over the world, it became +possible for those educated in this method to +know, with a fair degree of accuracy, the condition +that existed within the patient’s chest.</p> + +<p>A little later, in Paris, a physician named +Laennec, while walking to the hospital, noted +two boys at opposite ends of a log, one listening +and the other scratching the log with a +pin. He found that the boy listened because +he could hear the sound transmitted through +the log. The outcome of this simple observation +was the discovery of the stethoscope, the +device which the physician employs to determine +the sounds that go on within the human +body when the organs function. On listening +to the heart in which one of the valves has +given way, one may hear gurgling and murmurs +which are the result of physical changes +in the heart. On listening to the lungs, one +may determine whether the little spaces are +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span>filled with air, as they ought to be when the +patient breathes, or whether some disease has +consolidated the lung and made breathing impossible. +These observations are just as regular +and certain as any mathematical formula; +they are as scientific as the observations +made by an engineer; they are as definite +as the diagnosis of a broken valve or a carbon-choked +cylinder in a motor car.</p> + +<p>The textbooks in medicine of some fifty years +ago were an unusual conglomeration of the accumulated +facts of the centuries and of accurate +observations made by careful physicians, +mingled with queer ideas as to why things +were as they seemed to be and unestablished +rules based on the wrong interpretation of +only partially understood phenomena. There +was, for instance, certain knowledge that the +bark of the cinchona tree, from which quinine +comes, would stop the chills and fever of +malaria. There was not, however, the fact, +later shown by Laveran and by Rosa, that +malaria is caused by an organism in the blood +which is transmitted from one person to another +by a mosquito. It had been observed +that mercury would benefit syphilis, but no +one knew that syphilis was caused by a spiral +organism which may be transmitted from one +person to another. It was known that certain +drugs, such as digitalis, <ins title="Original has 'woud'" id="would">would</ins> slow the beat +of the heart and strengthen it, but it was not +known that it does this by action on the nerves +leading to the heart.</p> + +<p>The time, then, was ripe for a scientist like +Pasteur, and particularly ripe for the attitude +of skepticism with which he approached the +established beliefs of his day. The credit for +the great advance of the last fifty years in +medicine must be given to several factors: +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span>First, a changing conception of the way in +which disease is brought about in the human +body, due to the establishment of what some +people still call the “germ theory.” Germs are +no more a theory than is poison ivy. The results +of the action of germs within the human +body are no more theoretical than is the eruption +that follows contact with poison ivy in +sensitive persons. The second great factor influencing +medical knowledge was the application +to it of facts and materials derived from +such fundamental sciences as chemistry, physics, +anatomy and physiology. And the third +important development was the invention of +mechanical accessories to aid the human senses +in studying disease, both within and without +the human body.</p> + +<p>After Pasteur had shown that bacteria do +exist and that they cause disease, Robert Koch, +a German investigator and discoverer of the +cause of tuberculosis, established certain laws +for determining whether or not any single germ +was actually responsible for producing any +certain disease. It is unnecessary to mention +specifically each of these laws; suffice to say +that they involve the actual proof of the fact +that the germ is in the body of a person dying +from disease, and that the disease may be +produced in animals by injecting them with +the germ. It would be undesirable to mention +in this article all of the diseases for which medical +science now knows the bacterial cause; +the list would include, however, such diseases +as tuberculosis, syphilis, diphtheria, meningitis, +typhoid fever, dysentery, pneumonia, lock-jaw, +cholera, malaria, anthrax, scarlet fever and a +vast number of less commonly known diseases. +Hardly a year passes in which new germs are +not isolated and in which obscure conditions +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span>are not brought to light. The recognition of this +fact is of the greatest importance. If one accepts +the definitely proved facts as to the relationship +of bacteria to disease, one must at +once discard all of those systems of healing +which claim that all diseases are due to a +single form of disturbance and are curable by +a readjustment of that disturbance. There is +not, for instance, the slightest scientific evidence +that pressures on the nerves coming +from the spine or on the blood vessels leading +to the various organs are responsible for the +many diseases from which the human body +may suffer.</p> + +<p>Now this does not mean that medical science +is in possession of the facts regarding all +diseases. Much remains to be learned. There +are such diseases as measles, chicken pox, +mumps, German measles, epidemic sleeping sickness, +and even common colds and influenza, +for which we have no germ that everyone will +admit is the cause of the disease. But medical +science, with its careful, systematic methods, +has learned many facts regarding such +diseases, and the application of these facts is +important in their proper diagnosis and healing.</p> + +<p>I mention particularly the ways in which +medical science calls on mechanical aids in +modern diagnosis. The modern physician utilizes +mirrors and lights to observe directly the +inner lining of the stomach, the bladder, the +ear drum, the nose and the throat. You all +know the story of the young physician who +put the mirror into the woman’s mouth and +said: “Madam, you have no idea how far we +can see with these things.” She leaped from +the chair and said, “I beg your pardon, doctor; +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span>I left home with a hole in the heel of my +stocking.” By means of the X-ray, the doctor +is able to observe changes in solid organs +within the body; and through the injection of +air into the cavities, he is able, with the aid +of the X-ray, to outline organs heretofore not +visible and to determine the condition of tissues +that cannot be touched. The laboratories +have added information to be gained from +studies of the blood and from all of the secretions +and excretions of the body. Studies of +the blood may show the type of infection from +which the patient suffers; may show the manner +in which he is responding to infection; +may show whether he is anemic or has a sufficient +number of blood cells to conduct properly +the chemistry of his body. And these +matters are not beyond the comprehension of +the ordinary human being. They may be demonstrated +to any intelligent person; in fact, +in many laboratories these simple tests are +regularly performed by the people who have +been trained only in the tests and not in medical +knowledge. The interpretation of the test, +however, is always a matter for a well-informed +physician. Some of the cultists or misguided +persons who believe that all diseases +are brought about by pressures on nerves or on +ligaments, by vibrations, by the influence of +the mind, or by any other narrow, restricted +mechanism of disease causation, should begin +to realize that their theories must be discarded +in the face of such observations as +these.</p> + +<p>I pass over also the newer methods in the +treatment of disease, involving the use of newly +discovered antiseptics, of glands and gland +substances, of vaccines and serums, and of +unusual drugs. I pass over the beneficent effects +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span>of modern surgery and the newer anesthetics +which have been developed and which +enable the physician to perform surgical operations +painlessly and safely, as contrasted with +the conditions a century ago that made operating +rooms bloody shambles. Even the brain, +particularly unapproachable in a previous century, +is now the subject of operations for the +removal of tumors and the relief of abscesses.</p> + +<p>One by one, great infectious diseases and +plagues have been brought under control. +Fever-infested swamps and the jungle of the +tropics have been freed of such menaces as +yellow fever, malaria, African trypanosomiasis, +and other diseases transmitted to man by +insects. Through education in the value of a +periodic physical examination and through the +teaching of personal hygiene, intelligent persons +are being enabled to live more and more +comfortably. The death rate of tuberculosis +has been reduced by more than one-half; typhoid +fever no longer menaces communities +which are willing to pay the price for good +milk supply, good water and proper sewage +disposal; and inspection of fresh and prepared +foods has practically abolished the menace of +diseases formerly transmitted in this manner. +Special attention given to the problems of infant +mortality has reduced the death rate in +the earlier years of life and an infant coming +into the world today has a far greater expectancy +of life than did one coming into the +world fifty years ago. The child that might +then have expected to live to somewhere between +thirty-five and thirty-nine years of age +may now confidently look forward, under all +ordinary circumstances, to reaching the age of +fifty or fifty-five years. What hope, then, of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span>giving that child an opportunity to reach its +allotted three score and ten?</p> + +<p>Everyone knows from his own casual observations +that a great many more people are +living to a ripe old age nowadays than was the +case formerly. Indeed, these observations are +the exemplification of the statistics that have +been cited as to life expectancy. The diseases +that still remain to cut down the human being +at an earlier age than that at which he might +reasonably expect to depart this life through +the actual wearing out of the machinery which +is no longer able to renew itself include particularly +the diseases of the heart, blood vessels +and the kidney. Such conditions as <ins title="Original has 'Brights'" id="Brights">Bright’s</ins> +disease, a chronic inflammation of the kidney; +as hypertension, exemplified through high blood +pressure and the symptoms that accompany it; +as arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries; +as angina pectoris and inflammations of the +lining of the heart and of its valves—all such +conditions constitute a problem which the medical +profession must meet and which it apparently +cannot meet properly without the complete +education and cooperation of the public. +Here are diseases, the prevention of which +seems to lie in the prevention of infections of +the throat in childhood, in the training of the +child and man in the proper hygiene of the nose, +throat and intestinal tract; in the teaching to +the adolescent and equally to the adult of the +desirability of a quiet, well-ordered existence +with a proper amount of food, exercise and rest; +and, not the least by any means, in letting +people know that there is such a thing as mental +hygiene, including relief from worry or mental +strain. And then there is pneumonia, a +disease likely to affect the older man much +more severely than the young one, called, indeed, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span>“the old man’s friend” because of the +quick death that it produces in the senile; and +the “captain of the men of death” because of its +severely fatal character. The complete conquering +of this infection seems somehow to be +resting on the threshold of the future.</p> + +<p>It is the belief of several competent statisticians +who have given careful consideration to +the matter, that when these diseases are brought +under control, the life expectancy will be moved +forward at least another five years, but probably +not a great deal more. The trend of modern +life seems to be toward speeding up, toward +greater mental strain and almost ceaseless activity. +If, coincident with such speeding, medical +science is still able to promise another five +years of life expectancy to the phenomenal +number of years that have thus far been added, +it will have accomplished a marvel beyond the +dreams of the medical scientists of fifty years +ago.</p> + +<h3>THE FACTS ABOUT REJUVENATION</h3> + +<p>There is no fool like an old fool—particularly +in matters of rejuvenation. For the senile, +tottering old man, the world has had only the +pity that it confers on a Faust, who bartered +his soul for a few years of youthfulness; the +ridicule that it darts upon a Don Quixote; the +mild amusement with which it listens to the +tale of Ponce de Leon; or the savagery with +which it attacks the decrepit prey of physical +lust, inspired by inflamed tissues, who slakes +his appetite with the inveiglement of girls. +Psychologists observe these as the expression of +the law of self-preservation, the reaction of the +living toward approaching death, the feeble call +on unresponsive nerves and muscles for power +that they cannot give.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span></p> + +<p>Today the public is told again and again that +the secret of restoring youthful vigor to worn +out tissues has been solved in the laboratories +of the Austrian Steinach and of the Frenchman +Voronoff. Alas! medical scientists, who like to +be shown before they are convinced, mistrust +the evidence. They grant readily that the +senescent graybeard with the will-to-believe may +be instilled with young ideas, but they have +yet to admit that any surgical operation, any +transplantation of glands, any decoction of +plant, organ or mineral remedies will confer +on the withered form the machinery to put +those ideas into action. Of the mechanical contrivances, +the glandular extracts, and the other +forms of hocus-pocus sold with claims for their +ability to rejuvenate more will be said later. +Here the disciples of the scalpel who are reaping +something of a harvest in the field of surgical +rejuvenation will receive discriminating attention.</p> + +<p>Man’s search for the elixir of eternal youth +was never a scientific one previous to the period +of Brown-Sequard. Long before that famous +French physiologist, however, scientists had +been studying the nature and the functions of +the glands. It had been shown that the ability +to have children was co-ordinate with certain +changes in the body of the growing child. The +voice of the boy deepens, causing great embarrassment +when a fine soprano statement suddenly +changes to a basso growl. The first inklings +of mustache and beard send him to his +mirror for hours of painstaking scrutiny. He +begins to take a more serious interest in the +female of the species. And it was taken for +granted that the development of these characters +was the result of a special or internal secretion +poured into the blood by the glands. In +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span>science, however, it is not well to take anything +for granted.</p> + +<p>In 1889, the famous French physiologist +thought that he had discovered the potent substance +in extracts of the glands. One need not +be a Freudian to realize the suggestion conveyed +by the terms vim, vigor, virility or vitality. +It was not strange, therefore, that attention +should be turned to the peculiarly male +organs in the search for the important substance. +Indeed, the most primitive savages of +cannibalistic nature were wont themselves to +brew essences of the organs of the enemies +whom they slew in battle, believing that the +eating of the tissues was sufficient to confer +upon them the prowess of their vanquished foes. +Nor is it surprising that Brown-Sequard, having +inoculated himself with extracts of glands, +developed a sort of similitude of youthfulness. +He reported that he could now climb a flight of +steps with greater rapidity and ease than before +his inoculation. Nevertheless, at the appointed +time, the body of Brown-Sequard went the way +of all flesh. And the skeptical scientists who +repeated his experiments, checking them with +numerous cases and controlling them with injections +of plain water instead of the extracts, +shook their heads in dismay. The great scientist—for +Brown-Sequard was all of that—had +yielded science to enthusiasm and his conclusions +could not be sustained.</p> + +<h4>THE THEORY OF STEINACH</h4> + +<p>The conception on which the Steinach operation +for rejuvenation is based is not easy to +comprehend. About 1903, two French biologists +claimed that the secretion responsible for +maleness was developed by a certain part of +the male tissues. They asserted that this portion +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span>developed particularly if the tubes were +tied off. And Steinach claimed that he had +confirmed their experiments and that the performance +of this operation on old animals, particularly +rats, resulted in rejuvenation.</p> + +<p>Now the finding of a substance or a system +of rejuvenation is much like the finding of +gold. Whether it is there or not, all of the +unsuccessful, romantic, and adventurous experimenters +rush in on the trail, and all of the aged +and worn out capitalists come in as soon as convenient +to take advantage of the discovery. +The cry of “gold, gold” was taken up quickly +by a number of young and enthusiastic investigators, +who followed Steinach. Some famous +actors, physicians and financiers who saw the +waning of their power and note and of their +ability to enjoy to the utmost the lives that +had given them so much became subjects of the +experiment. Where there are actors, authors +and financiers, there is also always, in these +modern times, good publicity. And where there +is publicity not too careful as to the facts, there +are soon more applicants for operations. This, +in medical science, is known as a vicious circle.</p> + +<p>The careful experimenters who have followed +the work of Steinach, checking all his results +carefully on experimental animals, have demolished +his claims bit by bit. Oslund of the +Vanderbilt Medical School showed that the +Steinach adherents had been deceived because +of the type of experimental animal used. Since +the theory of the rejuvenescence is based on an +over-development of cells that does not actually +occur, it can be taken for granted that cutting +or tying of the tubes with the idea of producing +such over-development cannot cause rejuvenation. +And the work of Oslund has been confirmed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span>by many other investigators of established +standing.</p> + +<p>Moreover, the belief that the male glands +alone are responsible for the development of +male characteristics has been completely demolished. +The complete male features of mind +and body, including the external organs peculiar +to the male, have been found in persons +in whom the so-called male glands were absent +from birth, as proved by complete postmortem +examination. Furthermore, all of the features +of the male sex have been found in persons in +whom the male glands were absent from birth, +but who had within the body a complete set +of female glandular organs. There is a great +deal of much more technical evidence to support +the view that the male glands are not the +only tissues concerned with establishing maleness +or femaleness of any individual. Perhaps +the best of it developed in experiments on hens +and roosters, revealing hens possessing the +comb and wattles and even the feathers of the +rooster, yet living a hen’s life, laying eggs and +hatching them out! But what, you ask, has all +of this to do with Steinach’s theory of rejuvenation?</p> + +<p>The elderly gentleman who prefers blondes +is hardly likely to be deterred by the details +of technical experiments on mice, rabbits, chickens, +or dogs. For him, therefore, one presents +the facts regarding man. For many years the +operation now called the Steinach rejuvenation +operation was performed on old men who suffered +with a disease quite common in old men. +But in not one of the hundreds of cases in +which the tubes were cut or tied as in the +Steinach operation did any of the meticulous +surgeons mention any restoration of youthful +vigor or anything resembling rejuvenation. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span>This fact has been called to the attention of +Steinach and of all his followers again and +again in reputable medical publications, but an +explanation has never been offered.</p> + +<p>To the proof of the scientific laboratory investigators +that the Steinach method is founded +on a fallacy, the Steinach adherents and the +surgeons who perform the Steinach operation +reply with the sort of cynical shrug of the +shoulders that such practical men use in answering +laboratory evidence. They point with +none too reluctant pride to their records of +cases operated on and to the letters of testimony. +Here is as simple a gesture as might +be made by a moron, but hardly the sort of +thing one expects from a scientist. The same +testimonials—in fact much stronger ones—can +be found for all of the nostrums and contrivances +that have invaded this fertile field.</p> + +<p>Opposed to the enthusiastic statement of +Adolph Lorenz is that of Professor M. Zeissl of +Vienna, that the only change he noted after his +operation was less interest in sexual matters +than previously. Opposed to the quoted interviews +of Dr. Harry Benjamin of New York concerning +the one hundred cases on which he +operated with a claimed considerable percentage +of success are the records hidden away in medical +literature of thousands and thousands of +men on whom such operations were done without +any noticeable response.</p> + +<p>There are, indeed, some records of senile men +who put upon their degenerated tissues far more +of stress than they could tolerate. Here the +illusion of vigor produced an earlier death than +might reasonably have occurred without the +operation and in the absence of the illusion.</p> + +<p>The prime exponent of the Steinachian miracle +in this land that so readily accepts overnight +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span>miracles in medicine seems to be Dr. +Harry Benjamin. In his earlier publications +one finds no mention of any possible mental defects +associated with the surgical procedure. +But quite recently, regardless of the fact that +he is without status in the field of psychology +and psychiatry, he begins to mutter somewhat +vaguely concerning the importance of coincident +psycho-analysis. And in the publicity concerning +his efforts appearing within the past +few months appears what is, for so shrewd a +man, a most incautious admission: “The experts +declare that the value of the Steinach +method has been much reduced by ignorance +and by the opposition of doctors who have mistaken +ideas regarding the operation.” In other +words, the patient must believe thoroughly +that the operation will give him vim, vigor and +vitality, or he doesn’t get it. For many years, +physicians who have specialized in the diseases +peculiar to men have emphasized again and +again the great part played by the mind in +controlling the body functions. The records of +the surgeons who do the Steinach operations +are without scientific controls. To what extent +have they checked their work by cases on +whom the operation was not done, but who +otherwise were put through the same procedure? +Obviously such controlling of cases +would be a most elementary and simple procedure, +but records of such control in their publications +are sadly lacking.</p> + +<p>Indeed, these exponents of surgical art would +seem to be providing for the future in their +claim that the operation may be repeated with +good effect and a second revival of powers bestowed +on the waning patient. Here is a biological +revolution that bewilders the imagination! +The young men, handicapped in competition +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span>because of lack of experience and of the +world’s goods, will be compelled to struggle +against their rejuvenated fathers and grandfathers, +while the latter, by repeated operations, +maintain a permanent lead. It’s a sad, sad outlook; +but fortunately it isn’t true.</p> + +<h4>THE VORONOFF CONCEPTION</h4> + +<p>The contention of Voronoff, like that of +Steinach, has to do with the use of gland material +for purposes of rejuvenation. He does +not, however, depend on any change in the tissues +brought about by tying off tubes. He actually +transplants the entire glands, and since +the human material is not easily and generally +available, attempts to supply the deficiency with +glands derived from the anthropoid apes. In +this instance also a vast amount of experimental +evidence from the past and from other workers +of the present is available to disprove the +contention. True, there are instances in which +the glands have been absent from birth or lost +through accident and in which the transplantation +of such material results favorably, but the +records again are not such as will convince any +scientific reader of the general merit of the +operation. In the first place there is not in +any sense of the word actual prolongation of +life, since none of those on whom the transplantings +have been done seem to live beyond +the normal period. In the second place, one +reads such conclusions as the following: “The +pessimistic attitude of the patient and constant +brooding over his inability have marred the +results of the treatment.” Here again the part +played by the will-to-believe seems paramount.</p> + +<p>When all of the evidence is assembled and +considered <i>en masse</i>, it becomes apparent that +there is not as yet any actual proof that rejuvenation +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span>has been accomplished in a single +individual, or any basis for the belief that it +ever will be accomplished.</p> + +<h3>REJUVENATION: THE MECHANICAL AND +GLANDULAR METHODS</h3> + +<p>Rejuvenation is, in these days of young old-men +and old young-men, a word to conjure with. +The astute purveyors of mechanical devices, +pills, lotions and systems of physical culture +sold by the mail-order plan have been quick to +realize the wonderful “come-on” possibilities inherent +in the word. The result has been the +interminable repetition of the claim for renewed +youth achieved through hundreds of substances +and appliances. The post office department +itself is hardly able to keep pace with +the new developments in the field and its fraud +orders are issued usually after the promoters +have reaped a fine harvest.</p> + +<h4>MECHANICAL REJUVENATION</h4> + +<p>The senescent man or the youthful individual +who finds himself suddenly lacking in sexual +vigor is a ready prey for the exploiters of mechanical +devices, urged because of their ability +to encourage a physical development that +seems to be lacking. The average man in this +land of unenlightenment regarding the physical +constitution has but slight conception of what +constitutes the normal in these affairs, either +as to physical growth or functional ability. Indeed, +the more he meditates upon the matter, +the more he is likely to be convinced that +he himself is sadly lacking in these particulars, +the psychology of this view being dependent +upon a will to achieve rather than on actual +knowledge. Moreover, the cleverly worded literature—and +what a sad use of the word this is—of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span>the salesman of various devices is calculated +to intensify and emphasize this view. All +of the advertising matter is a paean of praise +of sexual athleticism, and a weeping and wailing +over deficient performance, inspired to +make still more mournful the sexually despondent +male.</p> + +<p>On December 5, 1925, the post office department +issued a fraud order against the manufacturers +of a device known as the “Perfection +Developer,” one Walter H. Hartman of Columbus, +Ohio, selling under the firm name of +“Hart & Co.” The simple device was merely a +cylinder of glass connected with a pump and +designed to induce a vacuum. The effects persisted +only so long as the device was in actual +use, and if it had any permanent effects whatever, +they could only be for harm.</p> + +<p>Another device of the same type was sold by +one M. Von Schwarts and William Billings of +Ithaca, New York, under the name of the “Burt +Vacuum Tube.” This firm was barred from +using the mails September 1, 1925.</p> + +<p>These devices are typical of most of the mechanical +appliances offered by mail for men +lacking sexual vigor. Obviously, they can be of +no permanent service. Moreover, the psychology +of their use is such as to discourage any +real possibility of improvement through rest, +diet and psychotherapy which long experience +has shown are of value.</p> + +<h4>GLANDULAR REJUVENATORS</h4> + +<p>Public interest in any new medical development +is at once capitalized by the promoters +of nostrums and fallacies. It is not surprising, +therefore, that increasing interest and knowledge +of the glands of internal secretion should +have aroused in the minds of some promoters +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span>the possibility of unusual and unwarranted +gains.</p> + +<p>In March, 1921, the “Youth Gland Chemical +Laboratories” was incorporated in Illinois; in +February, 1922, the name of the corporation +was changed to the “Druesen-Kraft Chemical +Laboratories.” Later, it became known as the +“Lewis Laboratories.” It was not, however, +until March 19, 1925, that the United States +Government closed the mails to this concern. +In the meantime, it reaped a rich harvest from +the unwary. The advertising literature of this +concern was of a style so striking as to have +merited some better use. A full-page announcement +in the newspapers was headed, in two-inch, +black type, “YOUR GLANDS WEAR +OUT”; in the center of the page, he-men and +she-women danced the one-step in close embrace. +And here are the phrases that brought +the replies:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>—It is based entirely on the principle of Feeding +Actual Gland Substance Direct to the Glands, +thereby renewing and rejuvenating them.</p> + +<p>—This method of giving new life to the glands is +advocated and endorsed by the leading students of +gland therapy throughout the world—including Dr. +Arnold Lorand, who is generally conceded to be the +greatest living authority on this subject.</p> + +<p>—The actual Method of Treatment used by us is +the result of exhaustive experiments covering several +thousand cases, during the past two years.</p> + +<p>—The “Lewis” Treatment Is Practically Never +Failing.</p> + +<p>—If You Could Prevent the Wear and Tear on +Your Glands Caused by Sickness, Age, Disease, etc., +You Would Look and Feel as Young at 70 as at +25. Science However Has Solved the Secrets of +the Glands and Now for the First Time Shows You +the True Way to KEEP or REGAIN Your Vigor +by Feeding and Replenishing the Most Important +Glands!</p> + +<p>—Build Up Your Glands and You Build Up Your +Strength and Endurance.</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span></p> + +<p>The evidence is clear that the firm did exceedingly +well from a financial point of view. The +original price of the treatment was $10.00, +which, on occasion, could be reduced to $7.50, +and, if the victim still failed to succumb, to a +special offer of $2.95. The court records in the +case showed that the firm had spent at least +$300,000.00 in advertising, and that it had a +gross annual income of between $250,000.00 and +$300,000.00. Nevertheless, scientific evidence +has shown that extracts or other preparations +of the sex glands are without power when taken +by mouth. They not only fail to produce rejuvenation +of the entire body, but even to +stimulate to any extent the particular portions +of the body in which the applicant for rejuvenation +seems to be especially interested.</p> + +<p>Another concern, with headquarters in Denver, +issued a booklet entitled “The Secret of +Staying Young.” Here were the testimonials +of elderly men, 82, 83 and 84 years of age, who +announced that they had lasting benefits from +the treatments offered. These testimonials are +just as vociferous and emphatic as those of aspirants +for youth operated on by the disciples +of Steinach. The treatments consisted of nothing +more than dried animal glands, taken by +mouth, which, as has been said, could not possibly +have the effects claimed for them. The +concern exploiting these desiccated glands, the +“Vital-O-Gland Company,” not content with depending +on the mental responses of those who +took its preparations by mouth, sold at the +same time the usual vacuum developer, a glass +tube attached to a bicycle pump. When the +Government investigated this concern, it found +twenty-two girls and five men occupied in sending +out the salacious literature. The evidence +revealed that the gross income of the concern +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span>for 1923 was $176,406.82. Rejuvenation pays!</p> + +<p>The Vital-O-Gland Company and the Lewis +Laboratories have been barred by the Government +from the use of mails, but there still remain +many concerns offering, both to physicians +and to the public, glandular preparations +for rejuvenation or for sexual stimulation. +There will always be senescent, somewhat lewd +and sad old men to waste the funds of their +declining years on such powerless pills. The +memories of youth become more and more resplendent +with the passing years.</p> + +<p>The Glandine Laboratories of Chicago and +Los Angeles issues a circular with the question, +“Must We Grow Old?” and with the answer, +“Science Says, No.” The treatments consist of +extracts of the sex glands to be taken by mouth. +The Glandex Company of New York advertised +in the public press a combination of gland extracts +with iron. The International Research +Laboratories of Chicago advertised “Baker’s +Glandol,” with a salacious pamphlet emphasizing +the rejuvenation of man, and with such +headings as “The Most Interesting Thing Is +Love. Don’t Waste Life. Luck from Boldness +and Suppressed Desires.” Where is the man +who could resist the plea?</p> + +<p>The Puritan Laboratories of Nashville, Tennessee, +issues “Glandtone,” offered with the +claim that it will restore youthful vigor to +those passing with age. The Walton Chemical +Company of Chicago emphasizes the glands and +says that a combination of the sex glands, the +thyroid, prostate, pituitary and adrenal, hermetically +sealed, will defer old age and renew +vitality. What of the impudence and psychological +cleverness of its warning:</p> + +<p class="center">WARNING!</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>The country is being flooded with literature from +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span>so-called “Laboratories,” offering to restore Sex +STRENGTH in the forms of unsealed “Gland Tablets” +or “Liquids.”</p> + +<p>Such preparations may contain some gland substance, +but unless the ingredients are SEALED to +preserve their strength, the potency may be entirely +gone in a few days.</p> + +<p>The Walton Treatment INSURES the +STRENGTH of the INGREDIENTS and thousands +have found this method SUCCESSFUL even after +years and years of previous failure with other +methods of treatment.</p> + +<p>In fact, fully three out of four who write of +their remarkable results with this new method, +say they had taken many other Treatments or +methods without relief.</p> +</div> + +<p>Bear in mind that there is not an iota of +evidence to show that any preparation of male +sex glands, singly or in combination, has ever +been shown to have the slightest effect on the +human body when given by mouth. It was the +hope and the belief of Brown-Sequard that he +had found such a substance. Even he thought +that the taking of sex glands brought about in +him a sort of rejuvenation. Yet in the more +than fifty years since his passing, and since +his claims were disproved, the public has not +learned the truth.</p> + +<h4>RADIUM AND LIGHT</h4> + +<p>With the coming of the newer discoveries +in medicine as to the effects on the human body +of radium, the X-ray and ultra violet light, the +agile-minded exploiters of the public’s interest +in keeping young were again quick to respond +with the preparation and sale of such apparatus +and material for purposes of rejuvenation. Of +course, rejuvenation is not a physical state +that can be easily determined accurately. The +old man with declining powers is ready to welcome +the slightest sign of increasing ability +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span>in physical work or in sexual activity. He forgets +to reason that the rest and the mental +stimulation associated with any new method of +treatment are likely to bring about the illusion +of strength.</p> + +<p>The manufacturer of a cabinet lined with incandescent +lamps, for example, is not content +to claim for it the simple uses of a sweat bath, +or of heat produced by incandescent lamps. Ah! +No! This simple cabinet becomes as by the +wave of a magician’s want, an “Inductive +Metabolizing Method.” And the manufacturer +says:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>The —— Inductive Metabolizing method gives +to the world one of the greatest, if not the greatest, +means of rejuvenation of the human organism +known to medicine, but the part that is most interesting +about this modality is that of its synergetic +action with all the recognized methods of rejuvenation +now in use—such as gland therapy, radioactive +drinking water, baths, etc., as the results obtained +by their use, when accompanied by the Inductive +Metabolizing treatments, are increased tenfold.</p> +</div> + +<p style="text-indent:0em;">One can almost picture him rubbing his hands +in glee as he murmurs: “Rejuvenation: That’s +the word that gets ’em!”</p> + +<p>The makers of apparatus containing radium +or the blenders of waters which have been submitted +to the rays of this wondrous element +urge also its potency for rejuvenation. They +point knowingly to the radioactive springs of +Germany and Switzerland and cite the records +of the old men who have visited those springs +and returned home younger in body, if not in +years. But they too neglect the effect of weeks +of rest and freedom from care, of good diet and +salubrious surroundings, and possibly—in fact, +probably—of enforced inactivity for those portions +of the anatomy whose physical functioning +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span>persists in remaining the center of interest +when rejuvenation is discussed.</p> + +<h4>“THE NEW SCIENCE OF RADIENDOCRINOLOGY”</h4> + +<p>If radiation rejuvenates—although of course +it doesn’t—and if glands rejuvenate—and it +has been shown that they do not—then, say the +manufacturers of the Radiendocrinator, the +combination will get the result. Merely ray the +glands with the Radiendocrinator—price $150.00—and +you are there! The booklets are a hodgepodge +of exaggerations, fallacies, and confusions +regarding chemistry, physics, biology, +glands, radium, and whatnot. But the convincing +document is a blue-colored bonded guarantee +of satisfaction or money refunded. Couched +in language that seems to make the chance of +financial loss to the unwary impossible, the +guarantee is nevertheless a snare and a delusion. +Launched originally by Dr. Herman H. +Rubin, New York, as a device to be worn at +night over the glands and selling at $1,000.00, +the apparatus is now a reflector on a stand and +can be purchased for $150.00 But for pure +romance the literature is at least ten times as +fanciful.</p> + +<h4>THE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE</h4> + +<p>Even the Greek philosophers murmured that +physical powers in matters of sex did not always +parallel brain capacity. Strange that the +sex instinct should be so deeply rooted and so +prominent in life that two thousand years of +experience has failed to convince men of the +truthfulness of that statement.</p> + +<p>Modern science has shown that the early detection +of signs of disease by physical examination, +and the establishment of a proper +regime of life, including adequate rest, diet, +exercise, simple personal hygiene, and freedom +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span>from worry will greatly extend the life of the +average man. He may quite reasonably hope to +live to seventy years and if he is at all careful +considerably beyond that age. It behooves him +then to grow old gracefully, remembering that +much of the greatest work of this world done +in art, letters, invention, finance and statesmanship +has been done by men well beyond sixty +years of age. Their minds were perhaps little +given to the purely pleasurable functions of the +bodies which constituted the abodes of their +restless spirits.</p> + +<h3>THE ANTIVIVISECTIONIST AND ANIMAL +EXPERIMENTATION</h3> + +<p>George Jean Nathan, in that immortal document +<i>Pistols for Two</i> in which he and Monsieur +Mencken, using the cognomen Maj. Owen Hatteras, +gave an unsuspecting world an insight +into their personal characters and characteristics, +tells us which of his aphorisms delights +him most. Of all the soul-searching mots perpetrated +by this astute coiner of phrases, the +one he selected is likewise the one that gives +me most joy. “An antivivisectionist,” said Dr. +Nathan, “is a woman who strains at a guinea +pig and swallows a baby.” There it is in a +nutshell! A Freudian might claim that the +term “nutshell” was prominent in my mind +because I was discussing the antivivisectionist.</p> + +<p>At a period when the whole world begins to +turn to science as the real goal of mankind; +when intelligent human beings begin to discard +pseudo-sentiment for fact, the followers of what +is essentially merely an illogical, fanatical cult +continue to oppose progress if it is to involve +in any way what they conceive to be abuse of +the lower animals for purposes of study. This +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span>opposition seems to rest invariably on a lack +of actual knowledge of what animal experimentation +has accomplished for mankind, of what +it has contributed to the life and comfort of +the animal, of the extent to which the animal +may suffer in the cause of experimentation, +and of the very rules which the scientists themselves +have elaborated to safeguard their work +with animals.</p> + +<p>It is impossible in the scope of a brief article +even to enumerate all that has been learned by +animal experimentation. Without the aid of +this method Pasteur could not have founded the +science of bacteriology; such diseases as hydrophobia, +tuberculosis, yellow fever, plague, +scarlet fever, diphtheria and diabetes would not +have passed under the control of scientific medicine +but would have continued to take their +immense toll of life and to cause immeasurable +economic loss through illness. Indeed, to calculate +the sums saved and earned through preventing +illness, through opening up countries +constantly menaced by disease, through the +building of the Panama Canal, and through the +saving of workers in industry, would produce +a figure so vast as to be almost incredible.</p> + +<p>Anyone who has seen a child, succumbing to +the gradual encroachment of the diphtheric +membrane in its throat, suddenly respond to the +marvelous effects of diphtheria antitoxin will +oppose to the utmost any attempt to deprive +that child of the remedy. In preparing antitoxin +the horse is required for the production +of the serum and the guinea pig for standardization. +I have seen the horses used for such +service. Their paths are spread in pleasant +places. They toil not at all, they are kept clean, +they frolic in the open air except when the +weather may be inclement. They are well fed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>and given the best of attention. I have seen +the serum withdrawn and seen the horse make +no more visible sign of protest than is made +by the average man when he sticks his finger +on a pin in the back of his wife’s dress. I have +seen guinea pigs by the thousands utilized for +this work. If I am any judge of guinea pig +emotions they do not suffer unduly in the +process. I have never seen a guinea pig suffer +as much as a hysterical antivivisectionist suffers +at a dog and pony show or a circus.</p> + +<p>Before the discovery of the serum for epidemic +meningitis from fifty to seventy-five percent +of all who were afflicted died. When the +serum is given the mortality is below twenty-five +percent of those affected, and this says +nothing of the saving in illness and in permanently +disabling after effects. In the investigation +which led to this discovery rabbits, guinea +pigs, horses and monkeys were employed. In a +war, nations sacrifice the lives of hundreds of +thousands of their finest young men; the people +are told that the sacrifice is made so that +women and children may have a safe place in +which to live. Shall the lives of rabbits and +guinea pigs be weighed against the lives of the +same children threatened by far greater dangers +than those of war: the dangers of infectious +disease? Puerperal infection which killed +the woman in childbirth was controlled through +animal experimentation. What about saving +women from that menace?</p> + +<p>It is not alone the so-called biological remedies +such as antitoxins, vaccines and serums +that are dependent on animal experimentation. +Most of the potent drug remedies used today +for the alleviation and cure of disease must be +tested and standardized by the use of animals. +Most of our important synthetic drugs were +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span>first evolved only by the use of animals. The +anesthetics such as ether, chloroform, ethylene +and nitrous oxide gas have the same effects on +animals that they have on man. Was it not +right that they should be tested first on animals? +Such drugs as digitalis, which makes the +lives of many persons suffering from heart disease +endurable, have to be standardized by animal +tests. Shall the poisonous doses of potent +drugs be learned by tests made on the white +rat or the guinea pig or on man; or worse still, +shall we permit men to die or suffer mutilation +to spare the feelings of the white mouse? Isn’t +it after all a question of sparing the hyperesthetic +sensibilities of some idle woman +rather than the duller sensibilities of some +lower animal?</p> + +<p>One by one the infectious diseases that attack +man are being brought under control. There +still remain those incurable diseases such as +cancer, those conditions such as Bright’s disease, +high blood pressure, heart disease and +diabetes, which may be alleviated but have not +been completely conquered. Shall the methods +that have brought success in the control of +some diseases be discarded at the whim of misguided +and unreasoning followers of this cult +opposed to human progress? Of course, animal +experimentation never will be discarded. After +all, the progress of scientific medicine is a powerful +movement sweeping on and on with ever +increasing impetus.</p> + +<h4>ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION BENEFITS THE +ANIMAL</h4> + +<p>Strangely enough the lower animals have +benefited as much as has man himself through +the progress made by animal experimentation. +Hog cholera serum, the tuberculin test for cattle, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span>the control of hoof and mouth disease, puerperal +sepsis in cattle, hydrophobia, fowl plague, +and the many worm diseases that afflict animals +depend for their control on the same type +of experimentation that yielded results for the +diseases of man.</p> + +<p>There is another side of the question that +has its humorous aspects. It is necessary to +kill hundreds of thousands of stray dogs and +cats in our large cities to keep them from overrunning +the human inhabitants. It has been +estimated that a single pair of rats, if permitted +to breed unchecked, might produce +within three years a number of progeny running +into eighteen or twenty-four figures. +Everyone knows about the prolificity of guinea +pigs and rabbits which multiply inordinately. +Who shall say that these uses of science are not +as kind a fate, as satisfactory an existence, as +is the hunting down of the surplus by the +hunter, the trapper, the poisoner, or the poundmaster? +As we have shown, the horse used +for the production of serum has a far happier +life than the drawer of burdens in the ownership +of some unthinking careless human being.</p> + +<h4>RULES CONTROLLING SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTATION</h4> + +<p>Medical scientists have not waited for government +or other supervision to establish control +over animal experimentation that will make +it as nearly perfect as possible in preventing +unnecessary pain and in providing animals with +the best of care. A committee of the American +Medical Association regularly functions for no +other purpose. Under the control of this committee +each laboratory binds itself to observe +the rules laid down and to post those rules +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span>regularly in each department. The rules require +that animals be held at least as long as +they are held at the city pound; that they receive +every consideration for their bodily comfort; +that no operations be made, except with +the sanction of the director of the laboratory; +that animals be anesthetized and rendered incapable +of receiving pain in all operations, except +in those in which anesthesia would defeat +the object of the experiment, and finally that +animals be killed painlessly at the conclusion +of the experiment. These rules are most rigidly +enforced and laboratories throughout the country +are open to inspection by anyone interested +from a scientific point of view, or from the +point of view of control of this work.</p> + +<p>If it be true, as has been said again and +again, that science is the hope of the future +for the progress of humanity, those who obstruct +this progress by needless and unwarranted +follies should be considered as subjects +for mental investigation, or else as misguided +sentimentalists whom one condones, but whom +one does not take too seriously.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="tnote"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="Transcribers_note"> +Transcriber’s Note: +</h2> + +<p>Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.</p> + +<p>Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice.</p> + +<p>Spelling was retained as in the original except for the following changes:</p> + +<table class="autotable"> + +<tbody> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"></td> +<td class="tdl">Page <a href="#E">1</a>: “D. Haldeman-Julius”</td> +<td class="tdl">to</td> +<td class="tdl">“E. Haldeman-Julius”</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"></td> +<td class="tdl">Page <a href="#would">5</a>: “such as digitalis, woud”</td> +<td class="tdl">to</td> +<td class="tdl">“such as digitalis, would”</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"></td> +<td class="tdl">Page <a href="#Brights">10</a>: “Such conditions as Brights”</td> +<td class="tdl">to</td> +<td class="tdl">“Such conditions as Bright’s”</td> +</tr> + +</tbody></table> +</div></div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78989 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/78989-h/images/cover.jpg b/78989-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b28c7aa --- /dev/null +++ b/78989-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c72794 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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