The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-23
I'm THE NAME OF RELIGION"
A Correspondent Who Thinks Christian Science
is mental Leprosy"

To the Editor:-A reading of the strong
articles written by Doctors Lewis, Baker
and Mckee in response to your request
for an opinion regarding the liability to
Indictment of the Christian Science"
healer attendant upon the boy who re-
Gently died in Newbern, has impelled me
to send you this communication. This
death adds but another name to the long
list of those who have either sacrificed
themselves or have been sacrificed upon
the altar of that deplorable delusion,
Christian Science" so-called. That
such an altar should have been reared
in our State, that some have laid there,
no less an offering than their own lives
and the lives Of those dear to them,
savors strongly Of the fact that we have
yet among our people some of the super
stition and blind assumption of another
age, when enlightenment was yet unborn,
when science was not, and when afflicted
humanity impelled by a mysterious no
ton of the nature of disease, turned
for relief to any proffered hope, howeyA~
absurd or delusive.
This unfortunate death OF an irrespon-
sible, -year-old child by a disease
ordinarily durable, absolutely unattended
by any of the authentic means ordinarily
employed for the relief of his disease,
viz: malaria" but attended by the min
istrations of a Christian Science" heal
er, who, we presume, calmly and per-
sistently assured him that he was not
sick but only imagined himself to be So
these conditions demand careful thought
and careful discussion, for they are but
the index of similar crimes to be eX-
pected later, unless some effectual inter
vention be had. An attempt is made by
those responsible for such deaths to JUS
tify this conduct in the name of reli-
gon, and the claim held that any legal
attempt to restrain their pernicious prac-
tice would operate to persecute them.
This latter fact renders a solution of
the problem more difficult. Religious lib
erty, in both thought and practice, is
one of the cardinal principles upon which
our Commonwealth is builded, and of
right should be, but religion which not
only permits, but encompasses the avoid
able death of its votaries, a fanaticism,
In religious guise, which calmly "imag-
ines" out of existence those too we'll
known and virulent destroyers Of human
life and happiness, viz: Typhoid fever,
smallpox, diphtheria, tuberculosis yell
low fever, plague, etc, while these are,
or may be spreading pestilence in the
land and claiming innocent victims, at
least deserves at the hands of the law,
no more lenent consideration than that
which would provide effective protection
against it. The people are deeply con-
cerned and this first death in the State,
should arouse them to discover what vir-
tue there is in our present laws This bar
barous negligence in the enlightened city
OF Newborn should determine If our law
provides an adequate remedy, and II
none be found, let there be one enacted
during the coming legislature.
The State endeavors to protect the life
and physical welfare of it's population
against ouacks and charlatans, by regu-
lating the practice of medicine within
her borders. Through the medium OF
her board of health she not only dissem-
mates knowledge of how to combat dis
ease. but often compels the use of this
knowledge on the part of the ignorant
and peryerse, without any regard for
Individual belief or opinion. If these
things be the province and duty Of the
State; if it may properly limit the spread
of smallpox or diphtheria, surely legisla-
ton to prevent the spread of that mental
Ieprosy. christian Science is both ap-
propriate and imperative
The right of the individual to accept
or reject any means of treatment in the
event of sickness is entitled to some
show of consideration, but individual
choice must often yield to the common
veal
Our law is presumed to be enacted for
the definite purpose of securing the
greatest good to the greatest number"
of citizens, and it is apparent that this