Editorial May 6, 1905 Issue

Whose Diagnosis?

Archibald McLellan

A clergyman who recently attacked Christian Science, asks, "Now, whose diagnosis declared these ailments to be such diseases? [Cancer, locomotor ataxia, tuberculosis, paralysis, etc.] The healer's of course; and nine tenths of them — yes, ninety-nine hundredths of them know as little of the nature of disease as a mole knows of the solar system. . . . Think of Miss ——, a splendid girl, averring that she had healed a person of cancer, or tuberculosis, etc. What does she know about such diseases to diagnose and pronounce on their nature and names? And yet she will do as well as nine tenths of her fellow-healers. Is it on such testimony that you ask me to put confidence in Christian Science healings?"

The nature of this critic's question proves the superficial character of his investigation of the subject, but in that regard he does not differ from many other critics. In the cases reported in our periodicals the diagnoses are almost invariably those of physicians, — in many instances several physicians have been called in, — and to doubt their correctness is to doubt the intelligence and learning of the medical profession rather than to impeach the testimony of Christian Scientists.

An examination of the testimonies published in the issue of The Christian Science Journal from which we have taken the above criticism, shows that in almost every case reported, one or more physicians had treated the patient before Christian Science was resorted to. In one case the patient had been a hopeless invalid for seven years, and in that time had "passed through the hands of no less than sixteen different doctors," a number of whom had agreed that a certain dangerous operation was necessary. In another case, the eminent surgeon who diagnosed the disease pronounced it cancer, and said to the patient, "Get into a hospital within forty-eight hours: remember that every twenty-four is an added danger. If you survive the double operation, the X-rays will finish the cure of the more recent development, but there will be a recurrence of the other within two months, when a second operation will be necessary, and if you survive this, it may prolong your life a few years."

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