Many times I am asked if chronic or organic diseases can be healed through Christian Science. In reply to all I will say that I know from past experience they can. My occupation is mining, which I have followed for some eighteen years, and seven years ago I incurred what is known as miners' consumption and inflammatory rheumatism, caused from working in the mines. I suffered for several years, nearly dying. From time to time I took such medical treatment as promised relief. Gradually the disease changed into consumption of the intestines. This the physicians said caused my several other complications, such as chronic constipation, dyspepsia, catarrh, kidney trouble, etc.
I consulted four of the best local physicians, taking treatment from each, at different times, with little temporary relief, for I grew steadily worse. While at a well-known health resort my constipation became so alarming that I had an examination made by a local specialist, who told me that I had a very dangerous case, and advised more complete and skilful examination and treatment, as my intestines were very badly diseased. I immediately went to a firm of well-known specialists. Upon examination I was told that my intestines were very badly ulcerated, that in their twenty-two years of extensive practice they had seen only five cases of this kind. They could give me very little or no encouragement as to cure, and at first refused to take the case. They said if a cure was effected it would necessarily take years. The inflammation and constipation were so great that very severe treatment was continued for over two years, and my suffering was awful.
During this time my wife was an invalid for several years, unable to oversee her household, and the combined expense of my sickness, with that of hers, was very great — so that our savings were well-nigh spent.
