Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-02-17

ural means have been tried and found power
less, the church bids us pray and call upor
God to do what man cannot do, nor vii
right-minded science take objection to prayer
and the hope of special providence in such in
stances. The laws of nature, the partisans o.
Mr.. Draper might say, are indexible ant
prayer is useless. Are not the laws of nature
subject to the control OF human power, and
however infexible they may be in certain
given conditions, anc not the result which
would follow from the permanence OF such
conditions be prevented by new arrangements
and complications land bring new laws into
operation, the reign of law being always su.
preme-being what we allow to the physician
The difference between a miracle, q special
providence and the ordinary action of the ply
sician in the application of the
healing art is one of degree. When
the effect produced is the result Of
act; when 1t exceeds mans ability it becomes
a miracle.
No doubt in past ages Mr.. Draper might
say, Christians were taught to pray in npresence
of certain epidemics which science to-day
would effectually master. Yes! but the science
of to-day was of no service to men in the
middle ages, and when they did all that was
possible to them in their condition of knowl.
edge, prayer to God was in due order.
The nineteenth century knows many things
the results of experience-which the tenth
or twelfth did not know. Need we wonder!
The race is older now, and the adult who de.
spises the child for its comparative ignorance,
has not sense, If he has knowledge. Mr..
Draper should be careful-he does not know
all things yet, and other Diapers in the twen.
tieth and twenty.flrs century may be found to
laugh at his puerile scientific notions.
As to the practical work which clergymen
can do towards the promotion of hygiene, the
bishop suggested the following rules:
First-1he clergyman will do well to ex-
plain to his flock the importance for them
the rules of hygiene and their duty to study
and observe them.
second--He should see that the rules of
hygiene are duly observed within buildings
under his own control, churches and school
houses.
Third-In instances of death from contagious
diseases he should prevent public funerals.
Fourth-In his visit to his Pensioners,
especially the poor, he ought to call their at
tention to this subject of hygiene and notice
around their dwellings. A word from him in
the right direction will work wonders.
Five-As leader of thought, and one who
by his profession is obliged to labor for the
good of others, he should be first among those
who labor by the formation of boards of
health and other sanitary organizations to i'm
prove the public health. Such organizations
do good, especially in smaller communities,
villages and country settlements.
Bishop Ireland having concluded, Gov.
Pillsbury called upon the Rev. Mr.. Thorn
as for some remarks upon the ideas ad-
vanced.
Mr.. Thomas, in responding, said he
had not expected to address the council
He desired, however, to say for Bishop
Whipple, announced to read paper, that
he knew the bishop took warm inter-
est in the objects of the council, and had
intended to be present. Unfortunately
his health had not been
by his visit to Florida as he had
and he had been unable to prepare
the paper in question. Mr.. Thomas then
briefly touched upon the ideas advanced
by Bishop Ireland, and the general idea
of CO. operation by the clergy and physi.
clans in sanitary motives. He had given
the matter some little thought, but it was
not clear how far the two could 60 to-
gether. Certainly the clergyman and
physician ought not to antagonize each
other in the sick room TO prevent this
physicians should, he thought, confer
Will tuS Ciol lSy luOu, SO eAa' cn0 WV Cooiu
act in sympathy. The relations of body
and soul are very intimate, and any course
that will bring these two classes of teach
ers and healers closer together, the better
in his opinion for the human race, for
science and for religion.
Gov. Plllsbury next called upon Rev.
DR.. Breed.
DR.. Breed said he was,present to hear,
not to speak. But there was cause for con-
graduation in this meeting, for the rea-
son that it promised closer relations be-
tween the clergyman and the physician
The two were brought into contact with
the same person in a large degree, one
to minister to the mind, (the souDthe other
the body. Often the two ailments
were so closely allied as to need help at
the same time. Beyond this the minister
could undoubtedly aid the physician in
securing better sanitary regulations about
the house, thus warding off disease. The
clergyman had better facilities for know
ing how the people lived--he was brought
into more intimate relations with their
daily lives and habits--and could there
fore exert a more salutary influence
than the physician in mat
tiers of ventilation, cleanliness, etc,
about the household, and if hearty sym
pathy could be established between the
two, there was no doubt great good would
come of it.
The governor then introduced DR..
Dana, who had no hesitation in endors-
ing the sentiments of the previous speak
ers. He had always felt that there was
not that confidence between the clergy
man and physician there should be. In
fact he had felt that there was kind Of
jealousy between the two that operated
against the public veal.
The clergyman was often the first Wis
itor to the sick, but unfortunately all
were not situated like his friend, Bishop
Ireland, who could lay down the law for
the observance of his af1ock. He was
amazed at the general ignorance on the
subject of hygiene. As to the
one matter of ventilation, he
knew of no class of public men who suf-
fered so greatly from a lack of it, as
clergymen, most of whom were obliged
to Speak week after week IN edifces in
which no attention had been paid to it.,
and in which the air was often so filled
with noxious matter as to make it ex-
tremely difficult to speak, saying nothing
of the injury to health thereby. Reform
was needed.
Rev. Dr. Bond was next introduced, and
spoke in the same general strain, though
pointing out the necessity for care that
the clergyman should not interpose his
poinictrafions at q time when thew cOuld