I had for many years been a member of an orthodox church, when about six years ago my wife and youngest daughter became interested in Christian Science. My two older daughters and I were not interested in what we considered the peculiar teachings of Science, and only attended the services upon rare occasions.
In 1903 my eldest daughter was married and has been living in a town just three miles from here. On the last Wednesday evening in May, 1905, I was called to the telephone and asked to go with my wife to see this daughter, who was very sick. When we reached our daughter's bedside, we found her suffering the most intense agony, which hypodermic injections of morphine seemed only to partially relieve, and I was alarmed at once. For two or three months prior to this my daughter had had brief attacks of a similar nature, but not nearly so severe. The doctor had been there for several hours when we arrived, and said my daughter was very sick.
After a night of intense suffering, the doctor came early in the morning, and there being no change he called our family physician in consultation. At two o'clock, Thursday afternoon, these two doctors made a careful examination, and told me that they would like to call a surgeon to assist them in a more complete examination. At this time they gave me to understand that peritonitis was the trouble and of a most severe and dangerous type. I told them to leave nothing undone and to call the best surgeon that they could secure. We had obtained the services of a trained nurse, who faithfully carried out the instructions of the doctor, administering the hypodermic injections of morphine and applying the large hot poultices. Up to three o'clock on Friday morning we watched and worked with my daughter, in the hope of finding relief for her suffering, finally sending for the doctor at that time. All this seemed a terrible dream, and with aching and fearful hearts we waited for the light of the morning. We were then told that the two doctors and a capable surgeon would examine our darling daughter about two o'clock in the afternoon, and in an agony of fear lest they should determine that an operation was the only hope left, we waited.
