Northampton, Mass.— I have lately had a demonstration of Truth in healing a belief of fever, that was so clearly a result of the supposed power of mesmerism, that I relate it for the benefit of your readers in case any Scientist should be tempted to place himself or herself in a similar position.
A lady (Scientist) had taken a primary and normal course of instruction, and had done some fine work in healing. Her means being limited, and work in strict Science scarce, she was induced to take the case of a very sick lady (in belief) who was attended by a homœopathic physician. She did this, as she told me afterwards, that she might treat the lady scientifically, restore her to health, and so honor Christian Science and herself. She could probably have done this had there not been an M. D. in the case. The parties who engaged her knew that she was a Christian Scientist, as did the doctor. For some time after her arrival in the sick room, the patient wonderfully and steadily improved, so that she said to her friends that she should recover; and became able to go out of doors. But just here— note the effect of medical influence, and the subtle spell that mortal mind weaves about its victim. When the lady asked her doctor if she might step across the street to call upon her sister, which she assured him she felt perfectly able to do, he said to her, "Why, no, you can't; your pulse is eighty!" Other circumstances occurred at this time in the family calculated to complete the patient's discouragement, and this subtle influence of mortal mind was brought to bear upon the Scientist herself, and she gradually became discouraged, seeing how perfectly the patient was governed by the doctor's opinion of her case, ceased treating her, and the lady again grew worse.
At this stage of the case, the Scientist consulted me in regard to her duty in the case, and also about herself, physically—saying that she felt miserably—although she was trying hard not to give way to it, knowing that it was only a seeming. I advised her to leave the situation, or treat the lady as she did at first. She said, that after talking with me, she felt that she could, although she had been unable to treat for some time, her mind was so confused. She accordingly gave another treatment, and favorable results followed, but the Scientist herself was overpowered by weakness and fear flowing to her constantly through the avenues of mortal mind, and finally succumbed to a strong belief of chills, dizziness, and high fever. The first day of her attack she was too ill or stupid, as she expressed it, to send for me, but the second morning at her request, I visited her, and treated her. In the afternoon of the same day, at the doctor's instigation, they removed her to her brother's —although she was with great difficulty dressed and gotten into the hack.
