CHAPTER THIRTEEN - BIOCHEMISTRY
Biochemistry is a science, whose concern is with vital processes, and which has availed itself of the cell theory and of the principle of the infinite divisibility of matter. It also makes use of the homeopathic dose. The dose must be proportionate to the patient, the cell; for, as Virchow has pointed out, “the essence of disease is the cell, changed pathogenically.
Dr. Schuessler, the originator of Biochemistry, arrived at his conclusions by studying the elements, nature, and functions of human blood. The cells receive their sustenance, their life- supply, from the blood and lymph, which, in their turn, derive their supply from the elements taken in as food. Normalcy in the supply of these elements means health; any deviation, a disturbance of health.
Dr. Schuessler placed the number of mineral combinations in the human body at twelve; in the last edition, 1895, he reduced the number to eleven. These all-necessary cell-salts are:
Potassium Chloride, Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Sulphate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Sulphate, Phosphate of Lime, Flouride of Lime, Phosphate of Magnesia, Phosphate of Iron, Silica.
Milk contains all these elements; other foods can give them in combination. Cremation reduces the body to these elements.
Each kind of cell depends upon a different salt, or combination of salts, for its food; a lack of any of these salts is shown by certain symptoms; the proper tissue salts, in right proportions are given to remove the symptoms, since a removal of the symptoms implies a removal of the need, or disease, in the cell.
It must be remembered, however, that the cells are not fed, they feed themselves; and any attempt to compel them to accept more than they require causes disaster. They voluntarily accept what is necessary and they reject what they do not need.
The difference in the cells consists in the kind and quality of the inorganic tissue salts of which they are composed.
Health, therefore, requires the requisite quantity of cell salts, and a lack of some one of these organic tissue salts results in imperfect cell action and diseased tissue.
The controlling principle which underlies every manifestation of form may be epitomized as follows: “In the apportionment and grouping of the elements that constitute a thing lies the cause, not only of the form, but also of its functions and qualities.”
Dr. Charles W. Littlefield, M. D., the author of “The Beginning and the Way of Life,” gives some very beautiful illustrations of the application of this law, in the chapter on the “Elements and Compounds of Nature,” in which he says:
“Within the scope and application of this principle of grouping of electrons, as the law of origin of elements, molecules, tissues, organs and forms, will be found a practical solution to every problem in biology from the origin and differentiation of species to every modification of form and configuration of outline that mark individuals with characteristic personalities, both physical and mental . . . . It is well known in chemistry that the molecule is the smallest part of any substance that can exist separately and still retain its properties.
Since the nature of the molecule is determined by the polarities, number and arrangement of the “electrons” which compose it, and since all structures in the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms are molecular, it follows that in the last analysis the grouping and apportionment of negative and positive “electrons” in the molecule determine in turn the nature and physical conditions of the form, whether it be perfect or imperfect. Deformity, personal likes and dislikes, are only questions of being “electronically” balanced or unbalanced, through supply or lack of supply of the forms of molecules that compose the organism. Only the spirit-mind-image of man, however, can make this grouping of molecules for the perfecting of a human form. To bring humanity to a state of primitive perfection, therefore, not only must the same material, prepared in the same manner, be supplied, but the environment of forces must be the same as those employed by the Creative Spirit in the beginning.
“Since then, we are able to trace every elemental form of matter back to some definite grouping of negative and positive electrons, that is, through varying numbers and arrangements of these; and since we find life manifesting through various forms as determined by different molecular groupings--by law of composition--and since it is rational to place Divine Mind behind this physical process, we are justified in assuming that Divine Mind--Images of living things preceded their physical development.
Therefore, in the ultimate science of being, idealism is more probable than materialism. But, while mind may thus exist alone there in the realm of cause, here in the realm of phenomena, we always have a psycho-physical parallelism, a realism, where everything must be explained by mind and matter, but by neither alone. While the spiritual entity which constitutes the real self may well be assumed to be akin to the Supreme Mind, being a particular mind-image thereof in the line of descent, having power of choice and therefore of independent action, it is unquestionably limited, by bodily conditions.
In “The Chemistry of Life,” Dr. George W. Carey says:
“So-called disease is neither a “person, place nor thing.”
The symptoms of sensation, called disease, are the results of lacking material--a deficiency in the dynamic molecules that carry on the orderly procedure of life. The effect of the deficiency causes unpleasant sensations, pains, exudations, swellings; or overheated tissue caused by increased motion of blood.
The increased motion is the effort nature or chemical law, makes to restore equilibrium with the diminished molecules of blood builders. By the law of conservation of energy the increased motion is changed to heat. We call this effect fever.
Biochemistry means the Chemistry of Life, or the union of inorganic and organic substances whereby new compounds are formed.
In its relation to so-called disease this system uses the inorganic salts, known as Cell-salts, or tissue builders.
The constituent parts of man’s body are perfect principles, namely, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, lime, iron, potash, soda, silica, magnesia, etc. These elements, gases, etc., are perfect per se, but may be endlessly diversified in combination as may the planks, bricks, or stones with which a building is to be erected.
Symptoms, called disease, disappear or cease to manifest when the food called for is furnished.
The human body is a receptacle for a storage battery, and will always run right while the chemicals are present in proper quantity and combination, as surely as an automobile will run when charged and supplied with the necessary ingredients to vibrate or cause motion.
The cell-salts are found in all our food, and are thus carried into the blood, where they carry on the process of life, and by the law of Chemical Affinity keep the human form, bodily functions, materialized. When a deficiency occurs in any of these workers through a non-assimilation of food, poor action of liver or digestive process, dematerialization of the body commences. So disease is a deficiency in some of the chemical constituents that carry on the chemistry of life.
Biochemists have shown that food does not form blood, but simply furnishes the mineral base by setting free the inorganic or cell-salts contained in all food stuff. The organic part, oil, fibrin, albumen, etc., contained in food is burned or digested in the stomach and intestinal tract to furnish motive power to operate the human machine and draw air into lungs, thence into arteries, i.e., air carriers.
Therefore, it is clearly proven that air (spirit) united with the minerals and forms blood, proving that the oil, albumen, etc., found in blood, is created every breath.
Increase the rate of activity of the brain cells by supplying more of the dynamic molecules of the blood known as mineral or cell -salts of lime, potash, sodium, iron, magnesia, silica, and we see mentally, truths that we could not sense at lower or natural rates of motion, although the lower rate may manifest ordinary health.
Natural man, or natural things must be raised from the level of nature to supernatural, in order to realize new concepts that lie waiting for recognition.
By this regenerative process millions of dormant cells of the brain are resurrected and set in operation, and then man no longer “sees through a glass darkly,” but with the Eye of Spiritual understanding.”
“This above all: To thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
“ ‘Tis shown in Life’s puzzles and sorrowings,
‘Tis taught by remorse with its secret stings,
That he who grief to another brings
One day, in his turn, must weep.
“From the past doth the present eternally spring;
You may sow what you will, but tomorrow will bring
You the harvest, to show you the manner of thing
Is the seed you have chose to sow!”