The Popular Science Monthly, September, 1900: Vol. 57, May, 1900 to October, 1900Various
Science
The Popular Science Monthly, September, 1900: Vol. 57, May, 1900 to October, 1900
Various
Science -- Periodicals; Technology -- Periodicals
I cannot dismiss ‘Eddyism’ without illustrating the peculiar structures
under which, in an effort to be consistent, it is forced to take
shelter. Since disease is always of purely mental origin, it follows
that disease and its symptoms cannot ensue without the conscious
coöperation of the patient; since “Christian Science divests material
drugs of their imaginary power,” it follows that the labels on the
bottles that stand on the druggist’s shelves are correspondingly
meaningless. And it becomes an interesting problem to inquire how
the consensus of mortal mind came about that associates one set of
symptoms with prussic acid, and another with alcohol, and another
with quinine. Inhaling oxygen or common air would prepare one for the
surgeon’s knife, and prussic acid or alcohol have no more effect than
water, if only a congress of nations would pronounce the former to be
anæsthetic and promulgate a decree that the latter shall be harmless.
Christian Science does not flinch from this position. “If a dose of
poison is swallowed through mistake and the patient dies, even though
physician and patient are expecting favorable results, does belief,
you ask, cause this death? Even so, and as directly as if the poison
had been intentionally taken. In such cases a few persons believe the
potion swallowed by the patient to be harmless; but the vast majority
of mankind, though they know nothing of this particular case and this
special person, believe the arsenic, the strychnine, or whatever the
drug used, to be poisonous, for it has been set down as a poison by
mortal mind. The consequence is that the result is controlled by
the majority of opinions outside, not by the infinitesimal minority
of opinions in the sick chamber.” But why should the opinions of οἳ
πολλοι {hoi polloi} be of influence in such a case, and the enlightened
minorities be sufficient to effect the marvellous cures in all the
other cases? Christian Scientists do not take cold in draughts in
spite of the contrary opinions or illusions of misguided majorities.
The logical Christian Scientist need not eat, “for the truth is food
does not affect the life of man,” and should not renounce his faith
by adding, “but it would be foolish to venture beyond our present
understanding, foolish to stop eating, until we gain more goodness
and a clearer comprehension of the living God.” And if he is a mental
physician he must be a mental surgeon, too, and not plead that, “Until
the advancing age admits the efficacy and supremacy of mind, it is
better to leave the adjustment of broken bones and dislocations to the
fingers of surgeons.” But it is unprofitable to consider the weakness
of any occult system in its encounters with actual science and actual
fact. It is simply as a real and prominent menace to rationality that
these doctrines naturally attract consideration. As illustrations of
present-day occult beliefs we are naturally tempted to inquire what
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