Page:Linda Hazzard - Fasting for the cure of disease.djvu/209

 in which not one developed aught but improvement in brain function.

All functional derangements, when not corrected, finally lead to organic disease.

In organic disease some portion of the bodily machinery is unable to perform its work; its structure is injured or essentially imperfect.

In functional disease, the structure of the organ shows no defect, yet it is inefficient in action because of nerve force impeded.

It is an established fact that drugs do not affect brain structure; and it is equally well known that, in most instances, insanity causes no deterioration in nerve tissue. In these facts lies strong collateral proof that the sources of mental disease are to be sought elsewhere than in the brain. Injuries and ailments that involve change in brain substance will necessarily interfere with brain function, and, in softening of nerve tissue or in any inflammation, there are organic alterations that may be seen and noted. Incidentally these defects are primarily due to continued functional disease. But in hysteria, epilepsy, and mania, no changes in structure in brain and nerve substance can be discovered, notwithstanding the presence of