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Causes of Various Ailments

Shin Nong likened the human system unto the universe. As all life is dependent upon Nature for sustenance, he concluded that in the body of each person were to be found the five principal formative elements of Nature, viz., minerals, vegetation, water, fire, and earth. In other words, he held that each human being resembled Nature in miniature.

When Nature's five elements are working with equilibrium of power and balance, there are no thunderstorms, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, upheavals or sinkings of the earth, typhoons, etc. Likewise, when in our human systems, equilibrium is maintained among the five elements, we are strong and well; free from complaints of all kinds.

The most active element in both Nature and the human body is fire. Whenever the water element (blood) is overheated or there is too much fire, we have the condition known as "Inflammation of the System." It resembles a heat wave on the earth which produces wind, otherwise known as gas or as air circulation. The human system contains two circulations; the breath and the blood. The Chinese writers say that the blood is man's glory, and the breath his protection. If their circulation is impeded, the viscera are inactive. When the internal organs cease to function properly, the entire system becomes poisoned. For example, the lungs of Influenza victims were congested and clogged with black blood. The blood sometimes poured from their mouths and noses even after death. Likewise, in bad stages of cancer of the breast, there is a purplish black color and the edges are upturned. Ninety per cent of such cancers are incurable, the poison being so deeply rooted that nothing is able to drive it out. Even operations do little or no good, as the cancer either ap- -(103)pears again or the sufferer dies before long. Whether a cancer can be dealt with successfully or not depends upon its condition. The devastations of the fire element, or inflammation, cause the most suffering. Inflammation of the heart causes valve enlargement, palpitation, hardening of the arteries, and high blood pressure. Inflammation of the kidneys causes Bright's Disease; of the pancreas, Diabetes. Inflammation of the bladder causes discharges; of the nerves, Neuritis or Inflammatory Rheumatism. Inflammation of the bowels or rectum causes Piles or Bleeding Bowels. Inflammation of the uterus causes Tumors and Hemorrhage; of the eyes, Blindness; of the throat, Soreness, Tonsilitis, and Swelling. Inflammation and cold in the head cause Headache and Catarrh. It thickens and condenses the moisture, changing it into mucus and phlegm. Inflammation of the liver or of the gall causes gall stones or enlargement of the liver. When inflammation affects one or more of the internal organs, trouble develops in the extremities of the body, through the media of the blood circulation and nerves. Therefore, in order to afford permanent relief, the Herbalist must be conversant with the connection between the internal organs and the part of the body affected. Inflammation of the human system comes either from what we eat or drink or as a foreign invasion, such as attacks consequent upon changes in temperature (cold or fever), or upon contagion or other infection.

Inflammation in any part of the system impedes its proper functioning. Merely taking a physic and moving the bowels every day does not necessarily imply that the blood and organs are thereby cleansed and rid of poisonous inflammation. Some persons try to drink a gallon or more of water each day in order to flush the kidneys and bladder. The result of such measures is frequently the bringing on of indigestion and the weakening of the bladder and kidneys for life. Other people eat quantities of fruit in order to keep their systems from becoming inflamed. However, one who takes into his system too much fruit and water will thereby destroy the fire elements therein, and his food will lie there undigested. He will soon lose his vitality and become liable to tumors, discharges, pallor of complexion, sensations of cold and weakness, sour stomach, vomiting, and sometimes even dropsy. In addition to tracing various ailments to the foregoing elements, Chinese Herbalists also attribute pathological conditions to other causes; e. g., -(104)- 1. Overexcitement or great joy affects the heart. 2. Intense anger affects the liver. 3. Deep thinking (mental strain) and sadness affect the spleen. 4. Great fear affects the kidneys. 5. Sudden fright affects the heart.

Any specific ailment may be due to the inflammation or derangement of one or all of these organs.