Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1909-01-02
'RESfHf INSTEAD OF FEAR
(From the Daily Christian Sci 'nce
Monitor. of Boston.)

NMOnlIOT, OF BOSUOn.
That the history of disease is the
history of fear the medical profess
sion is beginning to perceive. This
being so, it is particularly difficult
to account for the lines on which
the present campaign against tuber-
culosis Is being conducted, not only
in America but throughout Europe
For months past columns of the
papers have been devoted to discus
sions and dissertations on the sub
iect The minds of millions OF read
ers have been filled with the most
ghastly pictures of disease While in
order apparently, that nothing might
be lacking which might terrify, not
only those suffering from the com
plant, but those who are not, the
most elaborate and depressing sta
tistics have been published broad
cast
Worse, however, even than this are
the methods It is proposed to adopt
for the purpose of stamping out the
disease. The sufferers are to be seq
regated on the railroad cars, and this
more particularly at night, in the
long hours of darkness, that is to say.
when with less to distract them, and
more time to brood, the minds OF
sick people fasten morbidly upon
their own condition.
In Europe It is proposed to add
another horror to even this. The
proposal there is that all cases shall
be registered, and, when considered
necessary, removed to isolation hos
pitals. Here the sufferers would ap-
parently be herded together in the
constant presence OF disease and
death. Anybody who has a concep-
tion of the atmosphere of depression
which can be produced by such sur
roundings. even amid the glories OF
the mountains and beneath the blue
sky at Davos, can picture the purga-
tory OF existence. under such condi-
tions, in the compulsory exclusion Of
hospital ward.
IL is possible, however, that the
most far-reaching element of the
whole proposal lies in its probable
effect on the healthy members of the
community. Fear and selflshness are
among the most ineradicable charac-
teristics of the human mind. and
when you have thoroughly aroused
these you have little to expect but
inhumanity Every one who exhibits
even incipient symptoms of the dis
ease will be regarded askance,
and steadily II gradually, edged to-
ward the isolation car or hospital.
until In time these will tend TO be-
come veritable leper colonies. In the
whole history of disease there is no
more pitiful story than that of the
medieval lepers. making their way
from laZar house to lazar house,
shrouded from head to foot like the
"familiars" OF the Holy Office. and
swinging their bells TO warn the vii.
layers of their approach
1t was the courage and devotion |
of the Little Brothers" which in the |
past helped to break what the ignor-
ance of man deemed the law of the
lepers tragedy. The Christianity OF
today should surely prove strong
enough to prevent it's resuscitation
in another form. Jesus said. Heal
the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the
dead, cast out devils" and he cleans
ed the lepers, not by banishing them
to that eastern lazar house, the refuse
heap without the city gates, but by
with them, without fear and !
repulsion, in the full knowl-
edge of the power of truth to destroy
the manifestation of disease.