Article February 16, 1899 Issue

Christian Science as a Curative Agent and a Religion

Christian Scientist

Rochester (N. Y.) Democrat and Chronicle

It is often argued that Christian Scientists should not be allowed to heal until they have graduated from some medical school and thus become able to name disease from the physician's standpoint. Were the medical fraternity justifiable in this demand, can it give us an infallible rule for such diagnosis? Dr. Goodall, while lecturing before one of the dental colleges in Philadelphia, exclaimed, "Gentlemen, if we were compelled to hold a post-mortem on every case we lose, we should frequently have cause to blush for our diagnosis." Many of us will remember the case of the late President Garfield, for whom the most eminent physicians were employed, yet the autopsy proved how absurdly incorrect were their conclusions. Thus we learn that materia medica itself cannot always be relied upon for correct diagnosis in its own practice.

Another idea advanced is, that Christian Scientists need the drill of materia medica in order to prevent contagion and thus insure safety to the public health. It is not generally understood that the same omnipresent and omnipotent Principle which destroys disease can just as effectually overcome contagion. Never under the treatment of Christian Science were nearly whole families known to be swept away by the claims of diphtheria, typhoid, scarlet fever, etc. Yet not infrequently do we hear of this in the practice of medicine, even in the families of practitioners themselves. During many years' work among so-called contagious diseases as well as others, we have only had one claim of infection to meet, and that was in our early experience. Yet so prone is mortal man to cling to the old and reject the new, that this certain proof of non-contagion in Christian Science practice has not seemed to arrest his attention.

Another statement made is that those few unfortunates who fail to be healed in Christian Science, die horribly painful deaths. This charge we must deny, for we know of many instances when those under the care of materia medica were suffering beyond description, and though not healed through the treatment of Christian Science, were so relieved that their friends ever after blessed the day in which the boon was brought to them. If Christian Scientists fail to heal they very rarely fail to give relief.

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