The evening times., 1899-01-23
Faith CURIOTS AND
CHRISTIAN HEALERS
Extent of Superstition at the
New Century's Approach.
Practices That Put in Jeopardy the
Lives of Patients.
Dangers Arising From UnreGuiated
Work of Self-StyIed Physicians.
HyPochOndriacs Lead.

Through the medium of suggestion and
the delightfully."- fearsome touch of the su
perstitious, coupled with the awe of fiery
invocation of Divine power, the Chris
tian Scientists have, by developing the
credulity of the unresisting sick and the
willing hypochcndriae, become a harmful
power. and thoughtful and intelligent citi-
Zsn have begun to view with alarm the
danger of permitting faith curists, s-''ec-'
cleSiastcal healers' mental healers,'
and other branches of the sect of Christian
Science TO operate uncurbed and unres
trained among the people.
The medical profession has remained ST.
lent upon the subject of the dangers of
these irresponsible healers for many reas-
ons, although every graduated physician in
the country regards them as serious men
ace to the sick and MANNED. Physicians
state that any protest on their part would
| be regarded as the outcome of professional
jealousy and a desire 10 monopolize the
practice of healing the sick. They also
state that were they 10 attempr any cru
sade against the Christian Scientists the
latter sect would appeal to all who are
Christians, and who believe in the power
of prayer, and the result might be a loss of
many patients through blind prejudice.
Claims of the Scientists.
The time has arrived, however, when the
Christian Scientists have taken up every
branch of medicine, and are claiming and
attempting TO set broken limbs, cure ty
phoid fever and smallpox and make the
| blind TO see. through the medium OF prayer
| by a healer, and even the more con-
| servative of the thinkers of the country
| are alarmed for the safety of the sick,
| who are easily prevailed upon by these
'healers" to throw medicine and physi-
! clans 10 the dogs and trust in the heal
ers' for cure.
So has the fetichism gone on until today
! a long list of deaths have aroused the
| people, and legislation is demanded which
will regulate these 'healers' and compel
| them TO pass such a board examination as
| all practicing physicians must undergo
The dangers of the unrestricted practice
| of these "healers'' are legion. The case of
| the late Harold Frederic who was treated in
London by Christian Scientists, and whose
| death revealed the fact that he had died
| from pure neglect, is but one of many.
! There are those who might scoff at the
/ idea of all intelligent man placing his life
in the hands of one ignorant of medicine
| and anatomy, but therein, say physicians
/ lies a grave danger. A man racked by ill
| ness and worried at slight improvement,
| is willing 10 try anything which promises
| a cure. and when healer" has thrown
out medicines and physicians the case is
| seldom. turned over to the medical profess
| sion again in time to save the life. Then
| many instances are cited. The anxious
mother is only too easily prevailed upon by
| smooth, clerical-looking people who come
in the name of the Master to turn over the
life of her child or a member of the fam
| lily to the care of the healer" The pa
! tient too often has no power to demand
| proper care. and objections TO the heal
ers" are straightway classed as a mild
form of insanity
Thus do the "healers" get the patients
but this matters little as they do get pa
tients and accept fees for their services
during the period in which the patients
are being healed" until the patients
grow worse and a physician is called in
or the patient dies
Hypochondriacs as Patients.
4 prominent physician who has prac-
ticed in the District for many years and
who has made study of Christian Science
and methods employed by the ''healers'
and who has come into contact with many
of these during his practice here. stated
during an interview that words could
hardly describe the dangers of the present
unregulated practice of these healers.
Il will tell you" said he, how these
/ ledIerS are nOlSeu ABOUT 10 an extent.
/ think / speak truly when / say that every
physician in the District has large num-
ber of patients who are always ciamorine
for medicine and advice and yet who havs
absolutely nothing the matter with then
except a mild form of insanity. These
people are hypochrondriacs, and We have
10 make as much a study of them a!
though they were really i'll. They imag
inc they are i'll and derive great comfor
from being cured.
These people welcome any healer whC
viii promise to cure them and herein arr
the Christian Scientists useful. AS tn,
| hypochondriac has but mental disease tn,
healers go about curing him in the proper
manner-that is by convincing him tha
he is entirely well and if he will say 81
and arise he is cured. Now, ! have beer
surprised to hear many of my hypochron.
drical patients Dragging about certain
healers' who have cured them, and o.
course, they tell their friends about it
And thus are the remarkable cures affect.
ed.
Il do not oppose the Christian Scientist.
when they are confined to their Legitimate
sphere where they can do no harm, bu
when they come out, as they are doing
and say that they can cure cancer or Sc
broken limb by praying hard for severa
hours, IL is high time that they were eth
er confined in some asylum or regulated
and prohibited by law
Little or nothing is known about th
actual methods employed by Christian
Science "healers,'' or experiments woult
hardly occur so frequently. A local ey
specialist cites an actual instance whicl
he witnessed. One of his patients, WON
an who was afflicted with hereditary blind
ness, the disease with which the poet, Mil
ton, was afflicted had undergone serie
of operations which enabled her to see TO
periods of from seven months to one year
She was finally prevailed upon to allow
healer to restore her sight and the fol
lowing pitiful, yet ludicrous scene, occur
| red
The healer first informed the patieu
that she did not need faith in order that
cure be accomplished, but that she merel
follow Instructions The healer the]
prayed devoutly, and advancing to tn
blind woman told her not to be foolish
that she could see if she would only try
The blind patient strained to see, bu
without result.
1T is only your mind said the ''heal
er;" it is your diseased mind. You are n
! more blind than / am. Now, look at me-
The patient looked and saw nothing.
, 'Of course you can see me-" insisted tn
healer" you only imagine you canno
see me. Now, just say you can see an
conquer your doubts
II can't see," said the patient.
Now, don't you see me?" said tn
healer"
Il can see nothing" said the blin
patient.
This was kept up for an hour, and tn