The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-28


your good paper to review the matter
concerning the death of the daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis, which appeared In
yesterdays issue OF the Providence Jour
nal.
The mayor of Providence is reported
having said: "A child should be protected
who is not old enough TO choose for it.
self as TO medical treatment, and the
public should be protected by compelling
all who make n practice of healing to re-
port contagious diseases instantly" /
presume our good mayor intends to give
the impression that parents should be
compelled TO provide medicine for their
children when sick. and not be allowed TO
depend upon Christian Science.
This position would be well taken if
medicine were an absolutely sure cure,
or even an approximation thereto, and,
on the other hand. Christian Science an
absolute failure: but since thousands OF
children have died of diphtheria after
having had the tender care OF proficient
NJ DIS. while at the same time, multi
tudes have been healed of diphtheria
/, through Christian Science the assump-
tion of our mayor cannot be borne out
by facts.
Ii may be true that he has not said
declared, we believe he has done hastily
to repent at leisure. We would respect
fully call his attention to the fact that
before passing judgment he should in
vestigate the success of Christian Scien-
tist practitioners with cases of this char
acter and also reckon into his solution OF
the problem a due consideration of the
fallacy of medical practice. We have no
contention against the practitioners OF
medicine, but we insist that until they
can show cleaner record themselves,
they better not enter into a crusade
against Christian Scientists" People who
live in glass houses should not throw
stones"
In respect to reporting cases of con-
tagion II has been admitted In this report
that the Scientists have frequently com
piled with the law. This is evidence TO
the authorities that IL is the intention
OF the people of this school 10 take this
precaution 10 observe strict quarantine.
In regard to the case I'm question I have
learned from good authority that a ply
sician OF wide experience and excellent
reputation after examining the child
thought she did not have diphtheria. that
she was strong. her temperature almost
normal and that she was not i'm any
apparent danger. II the parents of the
child I'm this case erred in their diagnosis,
they could scarcely be blamed, when even
the experienced NJ. DIS differed in their
first diagnosis.
Laymen are not supposed TO be expert
diagnosticians and IL the parents in this
case labored under a wrong impression,
they did no more nor less than most pa-.
rents might have done under the sans
circumstances. In fact errors of this
kind occur in large numbers every day
among believers I'm all schools of medicine.
A few weeks ago three cases of illness
s,, In, Nr.th
ing suspicious was noted by the physician
In charge. Afterward the mother and
daughter of another family became sick
and IL was claimed that they had small
pox. In casting about TO ascertain the
source of this disease, II was learned that
the woman In question had done washing
for the family OF three who had been
sick, and II was then decided that the
first family OF three had passed through
snallpoxl whereupon they were carried
TO the hospital. IL so happened that the
wife In the family. not improving under
the doctors care, called a Christian Sci
enlist. who healed her This. OF course,
according to the custom which prevails
among the fiippant critics OF Christian
Science. afforded sufficient reason why
the trouble should be charged to Chris
tian Science, and IL was, therefore. re-
ported In the press that three cases OF
smallpox had been running loose about
the town spreading the disease, because
they were Christian Scientists, when, I'm
fact, they were not Christian Scientists
and Christian Scientists had nothing
whatever TO do with the episode except TO
cure the last case after the physician had
apparently failed IL would seem that ev-
cry case OF failure Is charged TO Christian
Science by a certain class, ", perchance.
a Christian Scientist has been seen on the
premises Indeed, 10 is the custom with
some critics to charge everything irregu-
lar which happens, to Christian Science.
1t Is not strange That those who have
only a superficial knowledge OF the the
ory and practice OF Christian Scientists
consider a dependence upon this science,
10 the exclusion OF medicine. n neglect
rather than a help; but IL II due TO this
science and 10 its adherents that. before
passing judgment. tho critics should In
form themselves on this question. not
confine themselves merely to what can
be gathered from the enemies OF Chris
tlan Science. but the testimony OF its
friends as well. for those who have had
experience In this faith are surely bet
ter Informed as 90 It's effects than those
who have no personal knowledge OF the
subject, and who have had no farther ox-
pericncc with IL than To throw stones a.
Il.
In respect 10 quarantine. understand
that II Is for the purpose OF lsola ting the
patient and those who come in contact
with the disease. for the purpose OF pre-
venting the spread 81 disease; yet I am
reliably informed that notwithstanding
the physicians IN charge OF this case pro-
nounccl II diphtheria they did
not give any instructions IN
respect 90 quarantine. but from the
first have allowed the family 60 go where
they pleased.
The doctor In the Journal makes tho
following claims about the case. first. that
.eI a