THE MEANING OF DISEASE

A wider concept of disease is developing, which deals with the social environment, not only with the physical, chemical or ecological factors, as they affect the homeostasis of the internal environment of the organism. In such a concept it is the fitness of the whole personality which determines ease or dis-ease in adaptation. If the medical profession is to retain the strategic direction as well as the tactical command of the battle for health, it must widen the bases of its educational program so that every physician will understand and conform to the plan of battle even though his individual role is highly restricted; so that even in the office of a technical specialist the whole personality of the patient in relation to his whole environment is dealt with.