Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-25
MEDICAL ARRESTS.

tiI past IC" "CCNS SCNcIdI per.
sons have been placed under arrest on
criminal charges for having neglected to
call in medical aid when their children
were i'll. In each case it seems that Chris
tan scientists were delegated with the
work that ordinarily falls to the medical
doctor. While the arrests were due more
10 the fact that Christian science was de-
pended upon to effect cures, than to the
fact that no physician was summoned.
the trial of the causes will necessarily be
based upon the right of parents to refuse
to call in a doctor when their children are
ill.
If the parent has the right to refuse to
sick, then he has the right to administer
to the child such treatment as may seem
to him best and most likely to effect a
cure. If he can be legally compelled to get
a doctor for his child, then the law can
manifestly determine the kind Of a. ply
stefan he must get. That would, insturn,
'i1io" d icspoiiSioi1llJ upon the physician
much greater h a he cares to assume.
Lack Of ability to properly diagnose a
case, or a mistake in it's treatment, would
subject the physician not only to punish
ment for malpractice but to a loss of his
right to practice in the future.
Thu logical conclusion of a law that
would compel a man to employ a physi-
clan would compel the physician
to show by a prepondcrance Of evil
dence that the patient could not have
been saved by any process of treatment.
The physician cannot hide behind any ex-
perlmental hypothesis, if he compels
the parent to employ him when his child
is SICK. 1t must be assumed that the con-
illusions Of materia mcdica are final and
that the experimental stage has been
passed.
1t will! be seen, therefore. that in CON-
mencing proceedings against the parents
who refused to call in regular practition-
ers when they should have lone SO, there
~ fAtCIi SItIluIcu 10 uIe. Il IOGG
of responsibility is being prepared for the
physician who is called in, and who does
what the parent might lave done without
him--permits the patient to die through
lack OF proper treatment. The question
or the limitations of parental authority
in such matters may be brought out in the
courts.
Time was when the parent exercised the
right of life and death over his child: and
the mob Virginus killed his daugbte
to save her from dishonor. Civilization
mas taken that domestic function away
from the parent, and it has accorded to
the ctild certain inalienable rights that
are enjoyed by the a%dult-life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness.
But the rights of natural GUARDIANSHIP
the noble Virginus killed his ghte
Ecr they can go so far as to determine the
course of treatment that shall be pre-.
scribed in case Of illness remains to be
seen. If so, then the right to refuse to
'dii dHy pHySicidn %! no physician cannot
be disputed. The parent can, under that
interpretation depend upon competent
nurses, the m~inistrations OF a devoted
mother, or %perchance be persuaded to try
some form of mind cure, or other systems
Of treatment not recognized by the modi-
i cal profession OF the old school. 81 y4e
If, on the other hand, the courts hold
that the parent 10 in duty bound under