The Journal of Advanced Therapeutics, 1908, Vol. 26 (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The Journal of Advanced Therapeutics, 1908, Vol. 26

The reader of current medical literature can but be im pressed with the fact that among the writers who employ physical measures in therapeutics there is a wide diversity of Opinion as to the best method of meeting the varied indica tions. Often it may be true that there are more ways than one of accomplishing the same result, but in any event there is an underlying principle which governs the action of measures physiologically in their effects upon a certain pathological process, whereby one measure or combination of measures would be better than another. In other words, in relieving a pathological process or condition by physical measures, some one, or combination of the various methods, from the nature of things, best conserves the purpose.

The diversity of opinion now existing in the methods em ployed is misleading to the student who sets out to investigate physical therapeutics, and leads to a degree of uncertainty of action which is derogatory to the accurate acquisition of the knowledge of how and what to do with these measures.

The reason for the differences of opinion and method on the part. Of the present-day Operators may undoubtedly be ex plained from the fact of self-education in the employment of one or more methods without considering others, and without exercising a definite recognition of a point of view as to the physiological effects of the other modalities as well as of those employed. In other words, to the present time a larger part of the work in physical therapeutics has been done along empirical lines, the empirical lines of clinical experience, with reference to their rational indications.

Read on September 18, 1907, before the American Electro - Thera peutie Association at Boston, Mass.

It will be readily seen that the most important study in order that the employment of these measures may be most effective, is the, discovery of correct points of view - laws based upon the scientific recognition of physiological and physical effects as well as from the clinical results wrought upon abnormal conditions.

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