The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-27

out and no harm came to any Of the
others" The speaker added: In the
case of diphtheTia at MIS- True lnefe
should have been no death and no
alarm in the school. Contagion, ike
disease. is all a thing OF the mlhd.
AT the three Wednesday evening
meetings respectively last week and the
week before practitioners and friends
of patients related experiences OF the
kind-all, it is supposed, as having
bearing on the Mrs. True case. Inc eA-
periencess covered almost every cohtd-
gious case that visits this community
and, according to them, the disease was
cured and the contagion arrested. But
these reports came to the sunday
Chronicle second handedly Direct IN
terViews will be more satisfactory, as
indicating the belief and practice OF
Christian Scientists as regards con-
tagious diseases.
Two rather prominent business men,
who are members each of Christian
Science church, We're asked to express
| themselves on the question, but they
both declined to do so at any length
for publication. They had heard of the
True case, but had no opinion regard
ing it. They had known of a number
of similar cases, but declined to specify
them. They were aware OF a preJudlce
| existing here and elsewhere against
!
udice should be respected to the extent
of conforming to the prevailing custom
OF holding children who are understood
to be sick of a so-called contagious dis
| ease out of the public schools. One of
| these was asked:
Would you fear bad consequences
should one having diphtheria come
| among your children" His reply was:
NO. ! should have no fears. My
| wife IS healer and she would not per-
nit any harm ito come to our children,
| nor to any other children over whom
she might choose to throw her nfiu-
| ence.''
| The other of these two business men
| was equally fixed in the belief that
contagious disease has no existence, nor
| indeed any other disease. except in a
| fear disturbed mind. But he refused
| to express any opinion as to whether it
| was right or wrong to send GONZALES
cent or exposed" children to the pub
lie school. That is a matter that the
| law settles, and if it did not it would
| be for the individual conscience to set
tie it.
Mrs. G. p. Noyes is a prominent
| Scientist practitioner in this city, who
| is generally and politely ready to an
| sWer the questions of interviewers, but
| this time she showed some hesitation
and reluctance. Being urged, however
|
Il fully believe that which 7 was
taught of Mrs. Eddys doctrine-that
| contagion, does not eXist-and therefore
| there can be no danger in allowing So
| called contagious cases to go out to the
schools or elsewhere But my belief
might not have anything to do with
| my practice, had l a child so under
suspicion. / might and probably should
| keep my child at home and thus show
my respect for the feelings of those
who do not agree with me in belief. At
| the same time l should feel that I was
doing wrong, inasmuch as my action
would contribute to the mental state in
others, which is responsible for what
ever there apparently is of contagious
| Diseases
You would send your diphtheretic
child to school, confident that by en-
| ployinG your science you could prevent
1t giving the disease to another child or
to a dozen children"
Il do not say so, I probably should
not send my child to school in those
circumstances, being deferred there
from by respect for the feelings of
those who do notNbelieve as l do. But
should I send my child to school |
would and could save him and at the
same time give Immunity to the 9TH
ers" 589as
Your healing influence would ex-
1T would, for I should make it a
point to exert my influence to that ex-
tent
Mrs. c. c. Cochran, another of
the prominent Scientist practitioners,
said:
IT should think it perfectly safe to
send child supposed to be sick with
diphtheria to the public schools if the
healing influence of a skillful practi-
toner went along with the patient. 1t
would be quite possible for such prac-
titioner to heal the patient and to give
immunity to the other children. All
that would need to be done is to dis
abuse the mind of the sick child of the
false idea that it has dphtheria or
, scarlet fever, or other disease, and at
the same time to convince the other
children that there is no such thing as
contagion. l have had the care of a
number of children who were sup
posed to have diphtheria and that
were surrounded by other children
and grown persons and never lost a
case nor allowed the so-called disease
to spread"
: You, too can be employing Christ
ian Science cure one bad case and al
J the same time secure other against the
2 same disease?'
| Yes, I can; any good practitioner
: can. But I do not wish to be under
e stood as saying that I should send 6
. child of mine that might be reported
t to be sick of a dreaded disease into the
. company of other children. So long
l as belief in the reality of disease anC
D contagon exists we must show some
/ respect to that belief, though by so do
e ing we are making matters worse in
a stead of better for the sick"