The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-12
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE AND THE LAW.

TeNltWS cllOTJ was W
ferret out and punish" Christian Scientists
It omitted. however. to show the state OF the
law and the difficulties in the way OF following
Its advice. 1t would be unfortunate II the ad-
verse sentiment towards Eddyism aroused by
exposure OF its methods and the numerous
reported cases of its manslaughters should be
perverted or lessened by ill-considered action:
It seems. therefore. worth while TO make the
situation clear
No medical law OF any State enjons or pro-
hibits any system Of medical practice. No law
forbiddinR the practice Of Christian Science or
any other system OF treating the sick. no mat
ter how foolish has been proposed. Those
who assert the contrary do so ignorantly or
with intent to mslead. What medical laws re-
Qulre and in the opinion OF the Supreme Court
Of the nation and Of almost every State proper
ly require. is that no person shall practice
medicine before he has pursued a proper
course Of study and furnished some evidence
that he has a fair knowledge Of the human
economy and the sciences relating thereto.
This regulation applies TO Roman Catholics.
Protestants and jews. 1t IS objected to by
Christian Scientists and Sriritualsts. who
stoutly maintain that to require the same
education OF them as Of others engag-
ing In the same business is to infringe
their liberty OF conscience and right to
worship in their own way. although 1t Is
undeniable that when a man has once OBJ
tained q license to practice medicine upon
proof Of his scientific Attachments he may fol-
low any system he chooses He may. il he see
1T. rely solely upon mental processes. Every
physician does largely take into account aud
rely upon the effect OF the mind upon the body,
especially in certain classes Of cases. There
are few to-day who pretend that the high po-
tencies OF homeopathy have any medicinal
apti and n n li1nt ion nat hni Afn
was due TO the patients imagination that led
Mrs. Eddy. as she says. into her own e1traordi-
nary system. But hcmpopathists admit the
existence OF disease. They often administer
drugs as herocally az regular practitioners
sometimes more heroically. They use surgery
sklfully. In fact. 1t is often difficult to differ
entiate them from regular physicians by their
practice alone: nor was there ever a time when
they did not claim to be called physicians The
Eddytes. on the other hand. although eager to
dub themselves "doctors Of Christian Sci
ence.' declare that they are not practitioners
OF medicine. Mrs. Eddy. as was fully pointed
out In the North american Rerielr for March.
condemns not only drugs remedies and instru-
ments. but even hygiene. exercise and bathing.
Her method Of curing disease is first to
deny It's existence and then to argue
With It as one would argue with =
danger Of her crazy method and the Inn
nunity OF It's practitioners from punishment
under the law of this and many other States.
druggist who prescribes proprietary nostrum
or so simple a remedy as rhubarb or chalk
mixture nix may be convicted OF misdomeanoLri
gases, But it also has laid down in Smith vs.
Lane "a Hun, ,32l tho narrow rule that the use
OF drugs, medicines or instruments is an essen
tial element Of medical practice. holding in sub
stance, that the m cdica law WAS intended only
drte,n from false pretcnders to skill In the use
OF dangerous drugs or Instruments, but not to
who. lured hy wonderful promises Of cure. sub
NIT themselves to the treatment Of those avow-
eddy dscardnG ordinary medical methods,
This case. expressly approved OF in Ohio
Rhode Island and perhaps other States. is the
Joy ans, bulwark Of Christian Scientists. 1t
and Illinois statutes; but from the last IeEis;
lature of the latter State the Eldyites are said
70 have secured proNiso in the new medical
1t will, be remembered that a letter in THE
| Sun Of JunG". the accuracy Of which has not
SSnsn Mt cSIS N3rn Mrs. Sa o HGdy Hr9e
! fractures. strapgulations and contagious dis
! eases BY mental processes he twice wrote that
seem startling TO a Iayman that a druggist yi9-
| lates the medical law by prescribing rhubarb,
| the severed artery OF n chiid is EXEMPT from
| the operations of that statute And perhaps it
nay nay, seem easy to rer,iiy tGe anomaly by TGs-
t9n may be, profitable for instruction.
In lS,sa BIZ was intr""duced into the Massa-
Of treating. the sick and wounded Tor hire, in;
e4n Sort was nsnrn t,
expected. Sir. William ], Ioyd GARRISON and
Prof. J2mS;sths latter of when seems ben;
IN ,thSs ru6iItS mind. Win Issaamss E$dy
the bin! These, gentlemen represent the
best OF the host that rally to Mrs.,
| Eddy's support: sincere. educated, intelli-
gent, dearly loving to run tilt with the ma
| lority with Athenian I0ndneSs FOR new things
Mr. Garrison, therefore. who a short time ago
think 1t is the same Mr.. Garrison-clamOr ed
at the tor OF his pen for academic rules TO pre-
ish and rather silly Initiation Of secret so:
feelings by pointing out the awful brutality Of
football, actually obstructed the passage Of tho
law requiring Christian Scientists in Massa-
| sick the same education required OF Protest.
ants, Catholics and Jews engaged in the same
mentI As reported by the Christian Scientists
i seems to have consisted OF two main prem
didn't know everything down in Judeo, or. in
common English. the physicians don't know
f.Id.h, second. Homeopathy was, formerly
ridiculed. The answer seems simple enough
oyerworked. was right. IN medical science
We know good deal more than was known in
| JUDGE. Moreover, MIR. Garrison himself Go"En I
| practice all theories emanatlng from that dis
trict. He may surrass the rest OF Us, but it
may be doubted whether he gives to every one
that asks OF him or turns away from none who
| would borrow Of him: and as for resisting
what he considers evil he has a perfect mania
for It. using the sonnet with deadly effect. IT
Is true that the metaphysical! theory OF
Hahnemann that drug has medicinal proper;
ties when attenuated to degree represented
by figures that ovrrwhclm the Inauguration.
affected by tho number and direction Of
tho shakes given 10 the phial containing
the potency. was ridic called. and very Justly
so as appears iron, the fact that few
| hompopathists OF to-day profess the theory.
and fewer, Il any, practice It. except, perhaps.
as form OF mind cure Prot. James, was not
appreciation q the prGprcties he proclaimed
his professorship at Harvard thereby drag
Ging reputabls mCtheT's name int company
her Next he took the bold. broad. not to say
bad. ground that the state should not regulate
medicine at all. because IL is not finished
science" This is the most delicious tid-hit Of
logic yet offered. II we are to lcEislats only
about " finished sciences' our statute book
straight lines shall be the shortest distances
between points. and that 1t shall be misde-
| Tor tha apriI a hah y, IA