The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-29

jurors asked her II she knows what
diphtherla Is. and she admitted she
had something the doctors called by
that name. As "a Christian Scientist
she does not believe in 1t as con-
tagicus disease
SHE WAS AN INVALID.
Seven years ago last May she first
took up this belief Her sister had
been sick on what the doctors called
her deathbed and they gave her four
days to live. Christian Scientist treat
ment cured her so that she was out in
four weeks. She. herself. was sick
from childhood even up to the time of
her marriage, and Christian Scientist
treatment cured her. This Is the first
fatal case in her experience of at least
fifty cases. She treated her own child
for diphtheria.
She received no pay in this case. but
is under salary from the believers in
that doctrine in this city. She has no
authority from the state other than
that relied upon by Mrs. Maynard;
namely, that the constitution guaran-
tees them the right to worship God ac-
cording to the dictates of their own
conscience.
Colonel Watres asked her II it was
compulsory upon all Christian Scien-
lists to ignore medical treatment in
cases of disease or sickness, and her
answer was as follows: "A person Is
not compelled to have our treatment.
He must have our treatment alone or
medical treatment alone. There is no
such thing as medicine. I have had no
medicine, oils or liniment in my house
the past seven years. We do not dag
nose q single case. We simply practice
the healing that Jesus taught while on
earth and we rely solely on that. The
treatment is the same in all cases.
We know nothing about disease"
She said they have no prescribed form
of treatment, but adopt the highest
form of prayer The Lords prayer Is
repeated and an effort is made to bring
the patients mind to a realization of
the all powerful presence of God. Cor
oner Longstreet asked her how per-
son in comatose state could be
brought to realize and after some
coaching by Colonel Watres she said
in substance that with God all things
are possible. The same method Is used
rs the disciples and St. Paul used.
The Scientists do not claim to be a
factor In the healing process any fur
ther than I'm the effort to bring the
patient to a realization of Gods pow
er..
LAWS MADE FOR DOCTORS.
One of the Jurors asked her If she
ever saw placard on a house where
contagious disease existed and wheth-
er or not she understood its slgnifi-
cance and whether or not she was not
aware that the laws of the board of
health make 1t incumbent upon all hav
ing anything to do with contagious
diseases to report them. Her answers
We're tha t the laws are made for doctors
and materia medica. two things Chris
tian Scientists do not believe in.
Mr.. Wood was recalled by Mr.. Horn
and testified that he has seen five or six
cases of diphtheria around the neigh
borhood where he lives within the past
few months, and although doctors at
tended them they all proved fatal
That was all the testimony and after a
short deliberation the jury agreed upon
the following verdict:
We, the undersigned Jurors, find that
James Wood, jr., died from diphtheria.
Mrs. Mckee, and Mrs. Maynard are guilty
of criminal negligence in permitting
James Wood, jr., to die without giving
him proper medical attention. We also
find that the case was not reported to the
board of health as required by law in cases
of contagious diseases. The testimony
adduced shows that Mrs. Mckee and Mrs.
Maynard are in the habit of instituting
forms of treatment for the cure of disease
to the laws of the state of Pennsylvania.
A. Il. Vorhis, Walter NJ. Reedy, c. +.
Chamberlain. Jacob Demuth, w. f. Kel-
Ter and Joseph j. Webb.