6.  The liberty of conscious harmony with the universal forces embraces the intelligent use of the science of medicine.  The science of medicine is fairly indicated for our present purpose in the following quotation—­from Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes: 

“What is the honest truth about the medical art?  That by far the largest number of diseases which physicians are called upon to treat will get well at any rate, even in spite of reasonably bad treatment.  That of the other fraction, a certain number will certainly die, whatever is done.  That there remains a small number of cases where the life of the patient depends on the skill of the physician.  That drugs now and then save life; that they often shorten disease and remove symptoms; but that they are second in importance to food, air, temperature, and the other hygienic influences.  Throw out opium; throw out wine, and the vapors which produce the miracle of anesthesia, and I firmly believe that if the whole materia medica, as now used, could be sunk to the bottom of the sea, it would be all the better for mankind.”

“It is a mistake to suppose that the normal state of health is represented by a straight horizontal line, Independently of the well-known causes which raise or depress the standard of vitality, there seems to be—­I think I may venture to say there is—­a rhythmic undulation in the flow of the vital force.  The ‘dynamo’ which furnishes the working powers of consciousness and action has its annual, its monthly, its diurnal waves, even its temporary ripples, in the current it furnishes.  There are greater and lesser curves in the movement of every day’s life,—­a series of ascending and descending movements, a periodicity depending on the very nature of the force at work in the living organism.”

There is also in our life a periodicity of the deeper self—­a curve of the soul’s condition, which varies from time to time.  When the curve is downward in both the physical and the spiritual case, drugs are of no more value than stones.  When the curve is upward in both cases, drugs may be totally gratuitous, and they may actually retard the combined movements.  When the health-curve is downward, the psychic curve may follow suit, but it need not necessarily do so.  When the psychic curve is downward, the health-curve tends in the same direction.  When the health-curve is upward, the psychic curve usually follows.  When the psychic curve is upward, we have the best condition for the cure of disease.  But Nature always does the curing.  The physician never cures any disease; he merely assists Nature.

It is the function of medical science to arrest downward curves by any tried methods, to take advantage of upward curves, and to know what the curves are in any given case.  I call my physician because I may want him when I cannot help myself in these important respects.  I will have in my hands the greatest number of the best forces when I am subject to abnormal conditions.  I believe that is common sense, and I know it is perfectly permissible to the most exalted faith in the Soul of our Universe.