Article July 13, 1899 Issue

Medical, Legal, and Religious Aspects of Christian Science

CAROL NORTON

The Troy Record

To the Editor of the Troy Record:— I am asked, as a Christian Scientist, to give my views of the general medical and legal questions brought to the attention of the public by what is known as the Mount Vernon case—the recent death of a Mrs. Barguet of that city, while under Christian Science treatment. By way of preface I desire to say that I am not acquainted with the details of the case proper. I do not know how long the patient was sick, what her general chances of recovery were, or at what stage of the development of her trouble the Christian Science treatment began. Therefore I shall leave those who know directly of the details of the case to speak of these points. The bare facts of the case stand as follows : An intelligent woman, surrounded by an intelligent family, the majority of whom believe in its religion and healing, desired Christian Science mind-healing rather than that of either allopathy or homœopathy. According to the medical opinions advanced since her death, she was suffering from a recognized disease called dropsy. In spite of the treatment, the case ended fatally. These are the plain facts of the case. The legal, medical, and religious conclusions to be drawn from these facts can be briefly put as follows :—

First. The practitioner who attended Mrs. Barguet, and who did her best to heal the case, represents a school of therapeutical practitioners which has at the present time in the United States and Canada alone a following of upwards of two million intelligent and thinking people. This school of healing has established itself through rational common-sense results, and not by or through superstition, fanaticism, or unprovable claims.

Second. Among the practitioners of Christian Science mind-healing are to be found ex-allopathic physicians, some of whom have practised over forty years; ex-homœopathic physicians who have practised upwards of twenty years; hundreds of ex-trained nurses and medical students who have adopted the healing methods of Christian Science because through them they have obtained results beyond the possibility of either allopathy or homœopathy.

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