Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-08-20

professions are aware how much the
general or can appreciate the force of
DR.. Spitzka's reasoning. \ recent issue
of the Century magazine contained an
article. by Rev. J. NJ. Buckley, ID. D..
entitled "Faith-Cure and Kindred Phe-
nomena," which throws much-needed
light on this subject. The writer admits
that cures of real diseases have been eff
fected by faith. so-callcd; but maintains
that these cures are eXplicable upon natu-
raj principles, that is. that no supernatur-
al element whatever enters into them. He
divides all cases into two classes and takes.
first. those "where the effect is unqucs
tionably produced by a natural mental
state" As instances of these he cites the
charming away of warts. which is too
well known to require proof, and other
similar cures" His second class of
cases are those "in which the operation
of occult causes is claimed" They in
clude cures by mesmerism, by the mag
cal rites of heather nations. by the oper-
ationS of African witch-doctors and the
like. DR.. Buckley reviews these cures at
length. and finds that there is abundant
evidence of their performance. The con-
clu>ions he reaches are clear and salts
factory. as follows:
Cd That subjective mental states, as
concentration of the attention upon a
{ tl ~ Of
effects either of the nature of disease or
cure.
90 Active incredulity in persons not
acquainted with these laws. but willing
to be experimental upon, is often more
favorable to sudden effects than mere stu
pid, acquicscent credulity. The first
thing the incredulou>, hard-headed man,
who believes that there is nothing in
it." sees. that he cannot fathom. may
lead him to succumb instantly and ell
trclv to the dominant idea
(3) That concentrated attention. with
faith. can produce very great effects:
may operate powerfully in acute diseases.
with instantaneous rapidity upon nervous
diseases. or upon any disease capable of
being modified by direct action through
the nervous or circulatory system.
(I That cures can be wrought upon
]
and tumorS of various kinds. with great
rapidity. where the increased action of
| the various cXcretory functions can elm
mate the accumulatiOns from the sys-
/ tenn.
90 That rheumatism. SCiatica. g0ut.
neuralgia. contraction of the joints and
certain ntlammatory conditions may dis
appear under similar mental states sud
denly. so a. 10 admit of helpful exercise.
which exercise by its effect on the circu-
lation. and through it upon the nutrition
of the diseased parts. may produce Il per-
manent cure.
Co That the mind-cure." apart from
the absurd philosophy of the different
>ect> into which it is already divided,an
lis reputation of ali medicine. has Il ha
IS in the laws OF nature.
C1.J That all are unable to dispense
with surgery where the case j. at all
complex and where mechanical adjust
mcut> are necessary, also that they can
not restore limb, or eye, or finger. or
even a tooth that has been lost. Bur in
certain di,placcment> of internal organs
the consequence of nervous debility.
which are sometimes aided by surgery.
they all sometimes succeed by develop
in% latent energy through mental slim
illus.
We have quoted these statements in
full for the reasons that they contain in
compact form the gist of this whole
matter. and that attentive study of them
will do away with a deal of nonsense
that in one connection or other is con-
,tantly coming up. They do not eStab-
liSh the utter uscleSsnesS of our PennSvl-
vania friends onion or of PaSteur'S i'll
oculation. but they do demonstrate
wherein consists the value of these
means of cure and the limits beyond
which they cannot go; besides showing
how great may be the power of the i'm
agination, both in the production of dis
ease and in its cure.