Article October 12, 1918 Issue

In an extract from the Journal of the Indiana Society...

Robert G. Steel

Ann Arbor (Mich.) Times-News

In an extract from the Journal of the Indiana Society (medical), quoted in a letter from a physician, a slur was cast upon Christian Scientists for what is claimed to be their attitude toward the medical and surgical branches of our Army. Its intimation is erroneous.

That which concerns the Christian Scientist, as it should concern every lover of civil and religious liberty, and which should be the object of the vigorous complaint of every one who believes in that freedom for which our forefathers fought and for the continued enjoyment of which we are fighting today, is the attempt at what might be called the kaiserism of a portion of the medical fraternity, whereby they are endeavoring to use the situation created by the war in an effort to further their plan for the absolute and unhampered control of the citizen as well as the soldier in matters pertaining to health and treatment of disease. Were the doctors infallible either in diagnosis or in methods of treatment of sickness, the case would be different. Admitted errors of nearly fifty per cent in diagnosis, and by implication of a much larger proportion in treatment, very effectually bursts the infallibility bubble.

Christian Scientists are giving their whole-hearted support to the war, and many thousands of them are in the various arms of the service. Their attitude toward the medical and surgical branches is shown in an article written by one who is not a Christian Scientist, which was given prominence by the New York Times in its issue of June 9 last. In commenting on the well-known fact that Christian Science does not mix with material medicine and has nothing to do with it, though Christian Science soldiers must go to army hospitals to be treated, the author says: "That is true; and what is more, every Christian Science soldier makes it his particular business to obey to the letter every regulation of the service. If he is ordered to be vaccinated against an attack of typhoid fever, he makes not the slightest protest.... But if sick or wounded Christian Scientists are sufficiently advanced to treat themselves, they let the physicians or surgeons do their level 'worst,' and when they are well they give devout thanks for having been healed in Christian Science. If they are not sufficiently advanced in their study to heal themselves, they will manage, whether they are in France or Flanders, in Picardy or among the Vosges, to get word to a war-front practitioner, and he will find a way to give his soldier both present and absent treatment." The author gives accounts of the healing of soldiers through Christian Science, of which he has first-hand knowledge.

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October 12, 1918
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