A PECULIAR CASE

At Kalamazoo, Mich., there are some three hundred prominent women who believe in the Christian Science doctrine and practice its peculiar theories. These ladies belong to the best ranks of society in that city, and a few of them make a practise of teaching Christian Science to any who are desirous of securing information upon the subject or wish to try the effects of Christian Science upon their own bodily infirmities. Christian Science has become so popular in Kalamazoo as to interfere seriously with the incomes of the regular physicians of that city, and they have been aroused to the highest pitch of indignation at the course affairs have taken, and have gone so far as to arrest one of the prominent Christian Science women of the place upon the charge of practicing medicine without first complying with the laws controlling medical practitioners in the state of Michigan. There is a medical institute at Kalamazoo which has two or three hundred graduates practicing their profession in different portions of the state, and all of these doctors are lending a willing hand to the prosecution of the Christian Science woman. Here we have a peculiar case indeed. A woman is arrested for violating the medical laws of the state who distinctly claims that she is opposed to the theory of medicine and surgery, but operates altogether upon the mind of the patient. Just how a court is going to convict this woman of practising medicine contrary to the medical laws of the state, when she repudiates the whole theory of medicine, and operates wholly upon the mind, remains to be seen. There is no doubt but what the Kalamazoo Christian Scientists are giving the regular physicians a great deal of trouble and annoyance, but it is difficult for the Herald to believe that any court of justice is going to pronounce any one guilty of violating the state medical laws who advises others not to take medicine in any form, instead of taking it. There are many persons who do not belong to the Christian Scientists who do not believe much in taking medicine and who often advise their friends to "throw medicine to the dogs," and if the Christian Scientists are convicted they too might be summoned before the bar of public justice to answer for the wrongs they practise upon the medical fraternity. The case is attracting much attention and it will at least have one good effect—that of settling the dispute between doctors of medicine and doctors of the mind.—St. Joseph Daily Herald.