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A Last Word About Christian Science. 



often obliged to accede to this wrong notion. When the layman's edu- 

 cation and insight are sufficient to enable him to appreciate tbe small 

 utility of drugs, and the great utility of self-reliance, hygienic condi- 

 tions, good nursing, and the natural forces, he will give up the habit- 

 ual employment of what is at best but a doubtful expedient. 



It is not pretended that medicines are useless; they are most useful, 

 but, like edge-tools, must be handled with care. I know no a priori 

 reason why drugs should be expected to cure disease at all, except by 

 chemical, mechanical, germicidal, or other similar action, although 

 Prof. Huxley is said to hold the belief that somewhere in nature there 

 exists a remedy for every disease. This truly puts a premium on the 

 infraction of nature's laws, and gives no encouragement to preventive 

 medicine; for if this were true, what would prevent man from breaking 

 all the laws of health and exposing himself in all ways ? What harm 

 can result from ignorance or carelessness, if a kind Providence has 

 furnished a remedy for every consequent evil ? The opposite ground, 

 namely, that medicines are poisons, is much the safer and better al- 

 ternative. In most instances it is because of the infraction of the 

 laws of health that medicines are required at all. 



The salutary effect of true Homoeopathic treatment is through the 

 mind, is really mind-cure under another name, and has been called the 

 art of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease; the salutary 

 effect of Allopathic* treatment is through both body and mind. Physi- 

 cians of all schools do great good by inspiring hope and confidence, by 

 quieting the mind, and by attention to nursing, hygienic surroundings, 

 etc. The Homoeopath does good in a negative way, by doing no harm; 

 the Allopath by the careful and intelligent use of medicines for all they 

 are worth. The Homoeopath does harm by employing insufficient medi- 

 cine in cases where medicine is really necessary, the Allopath by em- 

 ploying it in excess or unnecessarily. It is probably but a small minority 

 of Allopaths who appreciate the potency of drugs for evil as well as 

 good, and use them with the necessary caution. Most experienced 

 physicians put little faith in drugs, and put that faith into practice 

 with little assurance when they are sick themselves. It is a proverb 

 that physicians never take their own medicine. Unfortunately most 

 men, sick or well, feel obliged to lean on something foreign to them- 

 selves, some external support; that something in the old school is real, 



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