The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-01
PRACTICAL ADVICE AS TO HOW
TO TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN
The Body is Greatly Neglected In the Cities While the Mind
Alone is Cultivated Something About Infant Feed
ing and Compulsory Vaccination.

Carolina has recently F'ebruary term
rendered decision affirming the legality
OF tho law giving the county and munich
pal authorities the right to enfrce COM
pulsory vaccination. The opinion OF the
court exhibits All information and grasp
OF tho medical side Of the subject which Is
highly satisfactory; in fact, the court
makes an able argument in favor of vac
cinaton as a preventative OF smallpox.
After briefly referring TO the ravages OF
the disease prior 10 the discovery OF
Seuner, the conclusion IS justly drawn
that 'ft this was so In days Of imperfect
communication. the present rapid means
OF intercourse between most distant points
would SO spread the disease to quickly
5,araIyze commerce and all public business.
II tho government could not at once stamp
out the disease by compelling all alike,
for the public good as much as for their
OWL, to submit to vaccination. Statistics
taken by governmental authority show
that while 400 out Of every Loco unvacci-
mated persons exposed to the contagion are
attacked by it. less than two in a thousand
take tho disease when protected by vac
cination within a reasonable period
Referring 70 that small class which de-
MICS the efficacy of vaccination. it IS truly
said that there are always some who will
deny any other result of human expert
ence however well established. Tho pow
er OF the General Assembly to legislate=
in behalf Of public veal, even at the cost
OF some private Inconvenience, Is distinctly
Sc: forth for it is every day common
sens. tina: & a people can draft or con-
scrip: It's citizens TO defend its borders
from invasion, II can protect itself from
the deadly pestilence that walkcth by
monday by such measures as medical
science has found most efficaciouS for tina!
purpose
a PRACTICAL TEST
The same journal prompts the following:
The class of minds that most readily take
stock in the various forms of medical fads.
which are just now being thrust so as-
excessively upon public notice, are not to
be impressed by any facts OF arguments,
however obvious, that conflict with their
favorite System" The followers of Mrs.
Eddy would have US believe for instance,
that there Is no such thing as pain in
disease, what is ordinarily termed such by
tho common mortal being a mere Pigment
OF the imagination. Ths unfortunate who
happens TO have a. collie 1ocorotur ataXia,
o. scabies has only TO allow his mind to
become accust omed to the idea that there
are no such ailments to realize a prompt
relief. 1t IS true that the Chris
tan Scientists have not yet given 10
Mr.. Clements inquiry as to why tread!ns
upon the caudal appendage of the common
house cat should cause that lOnS-Su1IeI-
ing animal to yell and promptly seek an
other locality, if it be true that pain is
purely imaginary. AS has been apply said, the
followers of this could have been auto
intoxicated (self poisoned) with their own
verbiage A Detroit physician has. al last,
proposed practical test which, If tried,
would meet the requirements Of the case
in a way calculated to bring conviction TO
the densest OF the Scientists The plan
Is quite simple and consists in
giving the believer hyper
dernic injection of some substance
the effect Of which upon the system is
well known to see how far the result
may be moderated or abolished by the eX-
ercise of the power of mind over matter.
1t is proposition TO which tho Christian
Scientists cannot well object and yet dare
not submit. The mere proposal Of such a
test should be sufficient TO convince the
mind of child of the abSurdity of their
claims; but such is the popularity Of nu-
man nature, that these various faiths"
and systems OF cure will continue to
flourish until the soil is exhausted, when
the same thing will be brought out dis
guised under q new name, and another
ish the problem for a repetition of medical
history. 1t would seem, indeed, that there
is no humbug in medicine, and no heresy
in religion so absurd that 1t does not find
a congenia culture medium in the minds
Of certain percentage of the population.
SANITAS.