Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-12-15
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
From the Point Of View of n Medical
Practitioner,


fore the BrsttItboro Professional
CIub--- Rev. II. +. Lowe Led In the
Discussion.
The second paper in the Professional
clubs series was read Tuesday evening in
the Brooks House by Dr. j. w. Gregg,
whose subject was christian Science"
The meeting opened at $50 o'clock with a
business session at which +. G. +. Cramer
of BrattleborO, +. II. Davenport of West
Brattleboro and Prof Edward Elery of
SaXtons River we're elected members of the
club. A banquet was then served, which
preceded the reading of the paper. DR..
Gregg said in substances:
"Christian Science is a system of relig-
ious teaching which originated with the
Rev. Mary Baker Eddy about 1866. It's
most notable application is the professed
cure of diseases by mental and spiritual
means, claimed by Mrs. Eddy TO have been
given to her as special divine gift. Her
adherents number about 100000 The
chief tenets of her doctrine are that there
is but one principle or spirit In the uni
verse; "All is mind; there is no matter ;
all is good; there is no evil; there is no
personal devil, no personal God, no person
al man. All medical study is harmful
Disease is not actual, but belief called a
mortal error, which can be cured by cor
recting this belief In the patient, and argu-
ing with the disease.
"Christian Science is not faith cure
The former has no foundation to rest on
but absurd and false statements. The
latter has foundation that cannot be de-
stroyed. Faith is mighty power that
has been used for the cure of actual
disease in all ages of the world, and is be-
ing used every day by all reputable physi-
C ans who labor 10 inspire there patients with
faith in themselves, faith in remedies,
faith in the nurse, faith in nature and
faith in God.
"We admit that the mind has great In
fluence over the body in some nervous
diseases, and to limited extent in all or
ganic diseases, but in the great majority Of
diseases the body has the greater influence
over the mind. Our bodies are all formed
and sometimes diseased before the mind
begins to act sufficiently TO have any in
fluence upon them. Many children die
suddenly, when the mother has not even
suspected danger. Disease that kills I'M
der such conditions cannot be the result Of
an error in belief, Many diseases are
known to the physicians as not being dan
gerous, yet they are OF such nature as to
fill the mind of the patient with apprehen-
sion, but they never prove fatal on this
account"
The doctor then stated in effect that
while he would not have the state inter
fere with Christian Scientists as a religious
sect or with the rights of adults, he believ-
ed that the public safety demanded that
Christian Scientists be required TO possess
a sufficient knowledge of anatomy and dis
ease to be competent to make reasonably
correct diagnosis of all contagious diseases
"Just because Christian Scientist gives
no drugs" said he, sis no reason why he
should be allowed TO spread dangerous,
contagious disease while a reputable doc
tor of medicine is liable to prosecution and
fine II he treats case in state where he
has not secured official recognition of his
professional competency"
1.-THE question may be asked: II Chris
tian Science is so absurd why do so many
believe in It? One reason is that many
overlook the fact that nature, given fair
chance, will cure nine out of ten cases of
acute disease. The physician is needed to
make more comfortable the first nine and
assist nature in saving the tenth. And as
nature does not refuse to serve the Chris
disease, it is natural for an observer to give
the credit of cure to the science instead of
nature where it rghtfully belongs. Anoth-
er reason is the power of superstition and
another is that there are people in the
world with unbalanced or diseased minds,
who imagine that they have certain dis
eases, which exist only in their minds.
Christian Science is well adapted for the
treatment of such cases, and il it was linn
tied TO this part of practice it would be be-
yOnd criticism.
christian Science would put a check to
the advancement of all hygiene and quar-
antine and medical practitioners of every
kind. The speaker is confident that the
deaths from contagious diseases have de-
creased more than so per cent in the viii
lage of Brattleboro during the last 25 years.
This improvement is due to an extended
system of sewerage and a more thorough
and prompt method of quarantine, which
could not have occurred had the majority
of the people believed in Christian Science,
all believers in which are reaping the bene-
fits of the very methods that they condemn
as useless and unnecessary"
Rev. r. F. Lowe led in the discussion,
setting forth the views of the Christian
Scientists, after which there was general
discussion.