The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-15
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.

The difficulty of framing a bill for the
regulation of so-oalled Christian sci
ence received fresh demonstration at
recent meeting held in New York.
So many deaths have resulted from the
abuse of the practice, that doctors and
lawyers are making a careful investi-
cation of the subject, with a view to
devising such legislation as the circum-
stances may require. The meeting re-
ferred to was held at the Waldorf As
toria and was attended by men and
women of distinction and, for the most
part, undoubted earnestness and lber-
atty. The Christian scientists pres
ent were invited to state their side of
the question, and the discussion was
very free. Only one bill was proposed.
and that was the inspiration of a New
York alderman. 1t provided that any
body who persuades or attempts to per-
suade patient from employing medi-
cal or surgical aid shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, and guilty of
manslaughter if the patient dies. Not
unnaturally, this bill was condemned by
y
many who thoroughly disapprove of
Christian science, but unfortunately it's
critics were unable to suggest a sub
stitute which would cover the offense
and still avoid trenching upon the per
sonal liberty guaranteed by the consti-
tuition.
The situation rs worse than unfortu-
nate. Quacks and imposters of every
sort are enabled to blunder, abuse and
defraud, under the guise of Christian
science, without the slightest fear of
restriction. The law cannot reach
them. They are, in fact, favored bv
the law. The physician is compelled
to work hard and practice self-denial
to obtain his education; he must pass
an examination and pay for his regis
tration, and then he must wait patient
ly for his practice to grow to a self
supporting basis. Finally, he may be
prosecuted for malpractice, and the
alleged offense may be proved or dis
proved with reasonable certainty. Pros
ecution of Christian scientist, on the
other hand, seems virtually impossible.
and proof of malpractice is wholly so.
One of the experts at the New York
meeting denied that faith cure and
Christian science We're one and the
same. The former, she said depends
wholly upon faith in prayer; the lat
ter is based upon the allness of God or
mind, mental, causation, mental cause
and effect" Some metaphysical acu-
men may be necessary to comprehend
this definition, but the speaker asserted
that by her system cancer, consump-
ton, locomotor ataxia and other dis
eases too numerous to mention" had
been cured. She would not object If a
patient called in a regular physician
but she would withdraw from the case
then and there. With what ease the
Christian healer may drop ali respon-
sibility and satisfy her conscience, was
recently shown by a New York Cur
ist' who treated a patient for dropsy.
After four weeks, she felt constrained
to leave the sick room, return to her
dressmaking, and submit the patient to
absence treatment" AS might have
been expected, the patient died, but the
healer complacently explained that this
was because of her own fear and the
mortal thoughts of her friends who OPP
posed me-"
Against such wretched trifiing as this,
the public has no protection but it's own
common sense. The law in some states
undertakes to protect the suicide from
himself but hitherto al attempts to
regulate the manifest evils of the faith
cure and Christian science have been
futile. Thousands of dollars are sub
scrlbed, and costly churches are erect
ed to extend and perpetrate practice
founded on single element Of truth
which Is recognized by physicians
throughout the world, but which is cal
culated to do infinite mischief when
abused or Unfortunately applied.