Editorial May 14, 1904 Issue

Correct Diagnosis

M.

One of the arguments frequently used by critics of Christian Science is, that lack of technical medical education renders Christian Scientists incapable of properly diagnosing cases brought to them, and therefore they should not be allowed to treat patients; but if we may judge by the absurdities, contradictions, and inconsistencies of so-called "expert testimony," given by physicians in the courts, the same argument will apply to some members of the medical profession.

The position of Christian Scientists on the subject of diagnosis is thus explained by Mrs. Eddy in our text-book: "The Christian Scientist, through understanding mental anatomy, discerns and deals with the real cause of disease. The material physician gropes among phenomena which fluctuate every instant, under influences not embraced in his diagnosis; and so he may stumble and fall in darkness" (Science and Health, p. 462). The correctness of the Christian Scientists' diagnosis is proved by the healing of the greater number of their patients.

"Expert testimony" is much used in cases involving the sanity or insanity of persons who are the subjects of judicial investigation, and in these cases the experts are about evenly divided in opinion, men of equal eminence in the medical profession drawing radically different conclusions from the same set of facts. This state of affairs has become so well known, that courts and juries regard "expert testimony" with much less favor than formerly. That it is possible for both sides to obtain numerous experts, indicates a lack of scientific basis for the opinions given under oath, or a lack of individual capacity to form a correct opinion from given data. Under these conditions, either the practice of medicine or the individual practitioner is subject to criticism.

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"A Door of Hope"
May 14, 1904
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