Editorial July 6, 1912 Issue

MATERIAL MEANS NOT NECESSARY

Archibald McLellan

During the past twenty years there has been a growing demand upon the part of certain physicians in an organized way, for the enlargement of the activities of their profession and the reestablishment of the waning prestige of their system through compulsory legislation. Perhaps this is not exactly the way in which they would state their case, but when we find so many medical societies giving their time to the discussion of how the average income of their members may be enhanced, and to such determined efforts as have been seen in the past few years to procure legislation which would add thousands and tens of thousands of physicians to the public pay-roll, and make criminal the practise of every system of healing but their own, there is no other conclusion to be drawn.

That which seems to help the physicians in their efforts to secure such legislation as they demand, is the practically universal belief of mortals that disease cannot be cured except through material means, and that when material means fail, disease is incurable. The strangest thing about this belief is that it exists notwithstanding the works of Christ Jesus, which proved beyond doubt that it is untrue, for we read that through the power of God, the Father that "doeth the works," he healed "all manner of disease," and there are several specific instances of the healing of so-called "incurables." It ignores, too, the continuance of these works in the practise of Christian Science, the unnumbered thousands of cases of healing, through spiritual means alone, which have taken place in the past forty years. On the strength of this general attitude of thought, however, medical bodies have become more outspoken in their claims to be regarded as arbiters in all matters relative to public health. One physician, speaking in a representative capacity, has said: "The public must be educated to take our advice in medico-political matters as they do our pills and powders, without knowing of their contents or effects, but with an abiding faith in their potency."

A similar statement made in behalf of his own business by a manufacturer of woolen clothing or a dealer in foodstuffs would be regarded as too ridiculous for serious consideration; but, strange as it may seem, the mystery and idolatry which have accompanied the practise of medicine for centuries, have dulled human perception so that it fails to perceive the arrogance of personal opinion which is expressed and the curtailment of individual liberty which is expressed and the curtailment of individual liberty which is involved in such a statement. The history of the world is the history of privileged class after privileged class rushing to its doom through the arrogance of its claims to superiority, and the awakening of the people to the invasion of their rights which had already been accomplished or was in contemplation. It would seem, therefore, that those of the medical profession who act as though they believe the only salvation of their profession lies in their ability to obtain legislation in its behalf, have in so far failed to read history to advantage.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

PUTTING OFF THE OLD MAN