Description
Pathology is the scientific study of the abnormal and of the abnormali- ties in structure of tissues, which may or may not be attended by disease when a departure from normal takes place disease results. The disease first manifests itself by subjective symptoms. To start with these is almost always a disturbance of function. If the function remains disturbed for a long time, some changes in the tissues or organs are bound to take place and objective signs and symptoms appear. Thus pathology tries to find out and makes a scientific study of the abnormalities in structure, which underline and are the cause of symptoms and disturbances of function. Such changes may be gross and visible to the naked eye or may be detectable only by the microscope. Sometimes, it is not possible to find any visible alteration. As a working principle the presence of structural changes are taken as a cause of disturbed function.
It is here that Homoeopathy differs. The structural changes are called lesions. There are cases in which the lesion is two minute to be discov- erable yet. Even the alterations visible under the highest power of the microscope are relatively gross. The lesions may be capable of resolution and a cure may take place and the parts may return to normal. But some lesions are permanent and the pathology is not reversible. All disturbances of function in disease produce alteration in the life of cells which is evidenced partly by damage and partly by increased activity. Each particular change found represents a stage in a series of changes. Pathology strives to discover the cause which has started the particular pathological process and has led to the departure from the normal. In Homoeopathy we not only presume but believe that it is the Life Principle or Vital Principle governing the cell which is primarily affected and deviates from the normal. When the cells of the body are thus placed under abnormal conditions a series of changes take place. Whether such processes are new or peculiar to disease or are merely physiological processes in abnormal conditions, are covered under pathology.
