removed through the excreta--the faeces, the urine, the perspiration,
and the exhalations from the lungs--to be replaced by new ones.

_Metabolism_, means change of matter. It signifies the course by which
nutritive material, or food, is built up into living matter. This
process is accomplished through the blood, which distributes the
necessary material to all parts of the body where cells need to be
replaced and carries away the consumed portions.

In the marvelous performance of its functions, when properly supplied,
it carries the elements that are essential to regeneration in the
correct proportions. When not properly supplied, these proportions
become incorrect and foreign formations may arise which are disturbing
to the organism.

In nature there is a constant tendency to counterbalance disturbances in
the proper proportion and by distribution of cell building material to
restore the normal condition. We may thus speak of the overwhelmingly
curative tendency of nature.

Metabolism is the function of the body which most constantly requires
attention. So, therefore, it is always through the blood that we must
assist nature in the process of counterbalancing and rectifying or
healing abnormal conditions.

It follows then, that, despite the apparent variety in _constitutional_
diseases, they are all practically the same. They are all disturbances
of metabolism through some irregularity in the quantitative or
qualitative condition of the blood.