The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-10-04
ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS.
THE RIGHT TO DECEIVE

Is n lie ever justifiable? Most NOR
allsts say no" Ordinary people say
falsehood is such a hand thing we
couldn't dispense. with II altogether.
Here is a case in point. Prof, Struem-
pei, the Vienna specialist whom the
late Edward II. Hartman consulted
held out the strongest encouragement
TO the dying man, and his family.
widle at the same time informing
Z Mr.. Harrimans New York physicians
~of the utter hopelessness OF his case.
! Prof. Struempel has enlarged upon his
! statement, telling OF his diagnosis OF
Mr.. Harrimau's complaint and he
took occasion to correct a statement
credited to him that he had told the
New York physicians that an opera
ton on Hartman was not at all
HOPELESS. In other words, he felt that
sdt was his duty to lie to the Harri-
mans but dishonorable to deceive
men of his own profession. This is
nice point and shows that Prof.
Struempel understood the etiquette of
mendacity.
y When Mr.. Hartman arrived in
Vienna" Prof, Staempel said, "the
case was already hopeless. He was
was beyond medical or surgical re-
lief | diagnosed the case as cancer or
the stomach. ! made false and IA
vorable diagnosis to Mr.. Hartman
and his family because i did not want
TO witness their sorrow. In a conf
dental communication to Mr.. Harri.
4 told them the whole truth. ! told
Mr.. Hartman that an operation was
not necessary. II wasn't for no opera
ton could have saved him."
: Morality Is queer thing till you
get used to 1t. Mr.. Hartman went all
Abe way to Vienna to learn the truth
and 1t is reasonable to believe paid
Prof Slruempet handsome sum for a
straight tip. But poor Mr., Hartman
was SO rich that nobody would tell
him the truth about anything, 1t
was not considered polite 10 do so.
Hence, we see that the poor man en-
joys another blessing that his rich
brother cannot obtain. A poor man
gets the truth told him every day
and from hour to hour. All his su-
periors and most of his equals take
n great pleasure in enllghtening him.
He has a cheerful assurance that the
rules OF morality are not suspended
for the purpose of deceiving him.
lie is allowed to see the real thing
and to know what is what.
- Prof. Struempefs procedure in tell
ing Hartman an untruth is fully ap-
proved by the continental physicians,
who deem II savage cruelty to tell
man that he must die, unless there
are conditions that make It advisable
20 inform him of his true condition.
Physicians inBerlin say Prof. Struem-
pei made Harriman's last days COM
paratively happy by creating the be-
lief in his mind that his condition
was not serious and that his recovery
was certain. Had he known the truth
he would have died sooner and been
saddened throughout his closing days,
they say. Dispatches from Vienna say
the Vienna doctors are wrouht up
over inumations of incompetency
made against Prof stuempel and
other doctors who attended Mr.. Har-
riman while in the Austrian capi-
tai,
Il was, therefore, necessary TO vim
dictate Struempel by providing that
he told the truth to members OF his
own profession and simply told a NE
to Mr.. Hartman for the latter's own
good. II hurts Doc" Struempel's feel
tnss to heve it thought that he did