Excerpt from Dr. Hood's Plain Talks About the Human System, the Habits of Men and Women, the Causes and Prevention of Disease, Our Sexual Relations and Social Natures: Embracing Common Sense Medical Adviser; Applied to Causes, Prevention and Cure of Chronic Diseases, the Natural Relations of Men and Women to Each Other, Society, Love, Marriage, Parentage, Etc

Ivs estimate the importance of a disease by the power that it possesses of limiting life in its utility, its enjoyment, or its duration.' Some diseases have a tendency to cut shortiife suddenly, as, for example, certain diseases of the heart, and that frightful malady known as angina pectoris, or suffocative breast pang. Then other diseases, although they never arrest life suddenly, have a tendency to shorten its duration. Cancer is probably the best example of this class. Consumption not only shortens life, but sometimes, when copious bleeding from the lungs ensues, kills immediately. Then there are certain other diseases which, although they do not cut short life suddenly, or limit its duration, make it almost useless. Thus many a sufferer from chronic bronchitis or winter-cough is afraid to go out in the open air on a cold day, and ail asthmatic is completely helpless as long as his attack lasts. Epilepsy is a disease which prevents the unfortunate sufferer from following many occupations: A man is, we will suppose, a earman, or a porter on a railway, and he has a fit. He is forthwith discharged 3 there is no help for it, the safety of others demands it. The fit may occur at any time and without a moment's warning, and it is impossible for him to obtain another place, for every one is afraid to employ him. The result is that be rapidly becomes reduced to a condition of poverty, and ultimately drifts into the workhouse. These cases are by no means uncommon, and several have come under our immediate observation; Here the disease has no tendency to shorten life, and 13 of importance simply because it prevents the sufferer flom following his occupation, and makes him a burden on the working portion of the community. Then again, there are other complaints which are Of importance simply because they interfere with the enjoyment Cf life. A man becomes hypo chondriacal, he has nothing the matter with him, but he fancies he is sufi'ering from all kinds of diseases. His: life is a misery to him, and he is a nuisance to every one else. His condition in no way interferes with his capability of earning a livelihood, and he may perform his duties in the most exemplary manner, but his very existence is hateful to him. We estimate the importance of any particular disease by our power of placing it under one or other of the categories we have mentioned.

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