New-York tribune., 1920-05-05
Girl Is Treated
TwOMiles Away
By Practitioner
Christian Scientist at Walker
Trial Says ''Absent Treat
ment" Would Reach Pa
tient 5000 Miles Off
Denies Disease Exists
Bacteria Not Created by
God or Any One Else,
He Says, Is His Belief

Bacteria do not exist, according to
Fred w. Weber, Of Irvington, N. j., a
Christian Science practitioner, a wit
ness yesterday at the trial of Mr.. and
Mrs. Andrew Walker. Of Bloomfield, N.
j. The Walkers, who are being tried
before Judge Harry V. Osborne and a
jury In the Court Of Quarter Sessions,
Newark, are accused Of manslaughter
in that they did not have medical atten-
tion for their daughter, Dorothy, eight
years old, who died May 4, 1919, of
nasal diphtheria
do you believe, then, that bacteria
were not created by God?' asked Judge
Osborne.
Mr.. Weber replied that was his belief
"They are part of the theory and sys-
tenn OF materia medica; in truth, there
is no such thing as disease" he added.
Benjamin Weinberg, one of the law
yers for the defense, interrupted and
explained that the defense would offer
other eXponents of Christian Science
during the latter part Of the trial.
Treated Her Two Miles Away
Mr.. Weber, who Is real estate and
insurance broker, said he gave Dorothy
two treatments. The first was an "ab-
sent treatment" administered from his
home in Irvington to the child, who was
in bed at her home, $50 South Sixth
Street, Newark. The treatment was by
prayer. Mr.. Weber declared such
treatment would not only reach pa
tient two miles away, but also one
5000 miles off.
The first treatment was given on the
Sunday previous to the child's death,
when her father called on the phone
and requested it, the witness said. He
went to the child's home the following
Tuesday. She was III bed. A prayer,
in which the practitioner and patient
participated, took place for half an
hour.
Cross-examined by the state, Mr..
Weber admitted that he was afraid his
absent treatment" would not meet
the condition." and that was why he
He also stated that Dorothy was Ian
gud, dull and drowsy. He returned to
the child's home the following Sunday
and found her dead.
Is Not Disease, He Says
Judge Osborne wanted to know what
the difference was between "a claim Of
disease" as Mr. Weber termed it, and
the customary designation Of physical
ailment.
There is no diphtheria,' the witness
not created by God, nor by any ore.
Disease is merely the theory of medical
science. Because God created no dis
ease, we understand physical troubles
as claims for disease''
Mrs. Charles E.. West, of % Camp
Street, Newark, a Christian Science
practitioner, testified that on Friday
previous to the child's death she Wis
tied the patient and treated her by
Christian Science methods. Part Of
the treatment, Mrs. West said, was
reading what is called "the scientific
statement Of being" written by Mary
Christ, Scientist. Mrs West said she
read the statement TO Dorothy, who
read it back to her.
Assistant Prosecutor John A. Bern
hard asked the witness if Dorothy un
dcrstood the statement
ION, yes" was the reply "Ske un-
derstood. She had gone to Sunday
school, She WAS asked what kind Of
treatment she had given Dorothy on
Friday.
AUDIBLE" was the answer. ~ quoted
from the Bible and told her She was
not ILL.,"
Asked for absent Treatment"
The girls father took the stand lust
before court adjourned He gave h $
age as forty-six and said he wa. q
salesman. He has been a Christian
Scientist three years. His wife has
been a member of the church five years.
"Dorothy,' he said, always had been
frall. Several minor ailments had been
treated by Christian Science methods
and she always had responded. On
Monday, ten days before her death she
complained she was not we'll. She was
i,i:stless and did not want to play.
dld not notice any fever. | called a
Mrs. Larsen, a Christian Science prac-
tltloner in Camden, whom I had known
1or several years. / asked her to give
the child absent treatment"
After his daughters death he said
ne telephoneo TO the county physician.
DR.. William d. Miningham, deputy
county physician, called at the house
and told him to report to Prosecutor
j. Henry Harrison. The witness said
no one had told him Dorothy had had
diphtheria until after her death. He
"lll be cross-examined to-day.