‘On my telling her I must examine her she replied that she could not submit to it that day for sufficient reasons, so I arranged that when she was in a condition for examination she would let me know, and I would call on her and examine her. I made no diagnosis, and gave no opinion as to the nature of the case. I said no word about performing an operation. ‘Instead of writing to me to call on her, she went to London. No doubt an examination would have revealed the fact that no disease ever existed. ‘It is impossible to deal with patients of this class. Their mental equilibrium is disturbed; they distort what the doctor may say, and not infrequently invent and circulate statements he never made.’ II. _The Society of Emmanuel_ Special attention has been directed of late to the claims of the ‘Society of Emmanuel.’ This society appears to profess adherence to the tenets of the Church of England, though, except for Dr. Mylne (formerly Bishop of Bombay), no well-known churchman, lay or cleric, seems to be a member of the executive. The names of some ladies of title are given in the list of the General Committee. The president and principal ‘healer’ is a Mr. James M. Hickson. The objects of the society are closely akin to those of other similar societies, except that they have a distinctly ‘Church’ flavour. For instance: ‘To develop the Divine gifts left to His Church by the Master, especially the gift of healing by prayer and laying on of hands, with the object of using these Divine gifts ... for the healing of the body.’ A perusal of its literature reveals the usual pretension to cure and to have cured any and every disease. Nothing like a tabulated list of cases treated appears anywhere. The society has now opened a ‘Hospice,’ where free treatment (by prayer and laying on of hands, &c.) is given by the aforesaid Mr. Hickson. For some time the _British Medical Journal_, the official organ of the British Medical Association, called attention to widely advertised ‘cures,’ and asked for information which would make it possible for an investigation into the true facts to be carried out. The results were hardly satisfactory. Here are some of the cases: (1) In the _British Medical Journal_ (May 1, 1909) the following case is given as recorded in _The Healer_ (the organ of the Society of Emmanuel): ‘The patient fell and injured the patella, which had previously been broken four times--two doctors expressed the opinion that he would never have full use of the knee again. It was very painful and quite callous (_sic_) at the time of the first treatment by prayer, but in twenty minutes he was able to bend it without help; the following day to walk about the house, and after four visits to resume ordinary duties.’ Inquiries failed to elicit any details which would enable investigation to be made. (2) From the _British Medical Journal_ of June 5, 1909: