It is often asserted by representative physicians that the insistent efforts of medical societies to secure legislation in restraint of Christian Science practice, have been prompted by consideration for the public health, and the stock argument advanced is that the Christian Scientist's ignorance of anatomy, therapeutics, and symptomatology wholly unfits him to minister to the needs of the sick. While the unprejudiced have abundant reason to doubt the sincerity of this show of unselfish solicitude, one is continually surprised to find how responsive Christian believers both clerical and lay, are to this argument, despite the face that their concession must inevitably lead them to a position which involves either a denial of the spiritual healing on Christ Jesus and his disciples, or of the continuity and availability of divine law.
A prominent M.D. has recently made an interesting contribution to this discussion as to fitness, by declaring in cold type that a large proportion of our medical graduates also, are altogether incompentent to render this service, and for the reason, as he states, that their knowledge is so purely theoretical. Having had no adequate opportunity, through clinics and hospital work, to obtain technical freedom and practical intelligence, they are but experimenters in their art, and must gain wisdom through the patient woe of their patrons.
However well or ill-fitted the young physician may be, it is apparent that there must be something of experimentation in his early practice, at least; but those who insist upon the necessity of medical treatment may realize some satisfaction in the thought that in having a part in their physician's education, they are contributing the important element of added experience to what they regard as a divinely-appointed order.
