The Indianapolis journal., 1896-03-05
THE GROTHAUS CASE.
Coroners Should Not Interfere-Gfve
Faith-Cure People Their Due.

The Official, not TO say the onclous, hives
CATION of the coroner into the cause OF the
death of the late Edward Grothaus suggests
the question whether he should not make
a similar investigation in all cases, and, II
not, why not? Mr.. Grothaus was re-
spectacle citizen, long known to be victim
of the incurable malady, consumption. and
a man of average mental ability and social
standing. but, for reasons satisfactory for
himself and family, he chose not to call in a
physician, as the custom is in such cases.
to trust to what is known popularity as
Christian science or faith healing. He did
not expect to be made immortal by this, but
from his investigation he concluded that his
sufferings from the disease would probably
be less and his life probably longer contin-
ued than by the use of such remedies as
doctors prescribe; hence. he deliberately
made this choice. But he died. Do not men
die of consumption, some time or other,
when treated by doctors in the usual way?
But. for reasons satisfactory to himself
possibly in the interest of science, possibly
for the fee the county pays in such cases.
the coroner Instituted an official investiga-
ton, not to ascertain the cause of the death,
for everybody knew his was a well-def1ned
case of consumption and nobody suspected
that Mrs. Dorland, an estimable lady of ir-
reproachable character, citizen and prop
a
tury, had done or said anything to cause
death; but wholly to learn IL the man might
not have lived longer If he had had doc
tor. The result was just what every sensible
man knew it must be: The coroner guesses
his life might have been prolonged by the
use Of medicine; then again it might not
have been. for the laws of vitality are past
finding out.
Why does not the coroner take some man
of his own size and bring him before him, m
stead of tackiing a woman? There is prob
n
woman does not die on the operators table
or soon after leaving ii in one OF our justly
gate these deaths and inquire how much
longer and with how much less suffering and
at how much less expense the patient might
use of the knife in female diseases is much
more modern than faith healing, and Ii is
by no means certain that 1t is more effective,
the expense of the county to ascertain how
it works and whether the eminent physi-
clans should not be enjoined.
There may be great deal of fraud prac-
ticed in the name Of Christian science |
am inclined to believe there is; but so there
is in medicine. 1t is within the memory of
persons not very old that a great hue and
cry went up whenever man died who had
not been properly bled, blstered and sail
waited; butsno coroner ever held. an inquest
at public expense. to ascertain how much
longer the man might have lived under SCI
entific treatment; nor was the law invoked
to suppress little sugar-coated pills. These
favor or to perish. while all proper sympa-
thy and compassion were shown to the de-
lnded ones who were willing to risk their
lives in the hands of those who discarded the
long-tred heroic methods of the regular
doctors; but. somehow or other, the little
piilpathy. gained favor among men and
women of culture and social standing. True
they died sometimes after taking them, bui
not perceptibly earlier than the victims OF
the big pills, while a. great many imagined
that they were cured and their lives were
prolonged by them. A deius&on. no doubt
in many cases: but such is the fact.
Now, as s,.t ! understand e stand, tfis Christian sci
fess to set a broken bone nor to cure a man
of the drink habit while he persists in drink
the drunkard to reform who will add his
strength to the so-called divine strength; and
to contribute to the comfort of the lame
man while nature is doing its part In the
knitting Of the broken bone when properly
set, If 1t does not actually facilitate the
knitting; and 1t claims that the agency OF
faith IN producing results is quite as easily
understood as the rationale of the effect of
quinine in fevers. But this much is certain
A great many men and women of intelligence
ing through it. These are not ali cranks
though some may be. What is Remarkable
in most cases is their reticence concerning
their experience from the house-tops nor al
the corners of the street, nor card the public
in the papers, but many do by the exhibition
of recovered health; and when speaking o1
the means used they seldom If ever lcuc
in their professions, while those who knew
them as invalids and now know them as
healthy persons. dismiss their cases as other
Pharisess dismissed a similar case long ago
by saying the fact is undeniable. but there
is a mistake somewhere, this cannot be true
AS 1 understand the question further they
do not necessarily discard the use of medi
cines in case of sickness. but they do no
ignores the divine in using them. any more
than they do in their daily supply of bread
How far any one who knows he has an in
durable disease. such as Mr.. Grothaus had
may visibly refrain from palliatives is
matter of individual judgment and not in.
should be prescribed for by a doctor who al
most can only give temporary reli6f. II we
should give the devil his due. let US be
u. L. SEE.
Indianapolis. March L.