DISEASE, .Any departure from, failure ill. or perversion of normal physiological action in the material constitution or functional integrity of the living organism I Foster's I/re/i e./7 Dictionary). Practically, a disease is a par ticular condition of ill health dependent upon some cause other than normal decay from age. ('onvenient. though not strictly scientific, is the division of diseases into functional and organic. A disease is organic if a certain organ is alfeeted by it, changes °yenning in the tissues. In a functional disease the organ ill question does not properly perform its functions. hut is itself in tact ; properly, the disease exists elsewhere than in that organ. the organ being disordered as a iellex result of distant changes. Diseases are termed dial het ie when dependent upon a pre disposition or diathesis (q.v.) ; they are termed enthetic when arising, from external call-es en tirely. .larr,t- diseases arising from the entrance and growth of bacteria from without are called germ diseases. .1titogenems diseases are those caused by altered activity of the cells of the bod. This altered function may lie due to the action of bacteria, which arc naturally found in the body, as in the digestive tract. 'file retention of feces in the intestine. or of nrie acid ill the Blood. or of peptones and allainioses in the blood. disease from the generation of poisonons alkaloids termed leitemnaInes. Sc'e BACTERIA; 1)!..r.‘sr 41lNI, TilEORY Or; MEDICINE; TION of Ns!' FEI4.NINii or DISEASE. This is much praeliced in the army and navy. and by convicts and others to t scrape from discipline, or procure a discharge from eompulsory service. It is also practieed by unfortunates who want to rest in hospitals during the winter, or by impostors who seek to gain money by arousing sympathy. It
is technieally called malingering. The detection of feigned disease, of course, necessarily belongs to the educated physician, and is ilrip0As'ilile With out a thormi.di knowledge of the reality, unless, indeed, the imitation be very coarse and badly studied. The diseases most commonly simulztted are epilepsy, catalepsy, convulsions, blindness, deafness, paralysis, insanity, neuralgia, rheu matism, disease of the heart, and generally all leading to any distinct external appearances. Ulcers of the legs, however, have often been made, and kept I1pcn artificially through the application of irritant substances, and vomiting or coughing up of blood is very easily simulated. The detection of such impostures is easy or not according to the op portunities and knowledge and skill of the de ceiver, as compared with those brought to bear on the discovery of the fraud. Careful testing is always necessary, as well as observation of the patient when lie is 11111e0111SCIIIIIS of it. The medico-legal importance of this subject is de cided. ..Ntany actions arc brought against rail road companies to recover damages for alleged injuries resulting in nervous diseases. It rests with the neurologist to decide if such diseases exist, and none but an expert call determine the truth. The questions then arise whether the nervous disease existed before the injury, or whether it was aggravated by the injury so a, to incapacitate the patient, or whether it has ape pcared since the injury and is clue to a subse• quest cnnisc. For a consideration of the question and an account of a celebrated family of malingerers, consult Bailey, Accident and Injury (New York, ISOS),