What are we to think of the miraculous cures reported in Christian
Science "experience meetings" and in the columns of the Christian
Science journals? Are we to consider them as genuine and accurate
records of fact, or are we to reject them as fabrications?
It would be easy to deal with the subject by driving Christian
Scientists into a corner and logically refuting their claims; for if
it is true, as stated on page 120 of "Science and Health," that
"health is not a condition of matter but of mind, _nor can the
material senses bear reliable testimony on this subject_," of course
"the material senses" cannot be trusted when they testify that cancer,
consumption, broken bones, or locomotor ataxia have been cured by
Christian Science. There is no such thing as the diagnosis of these
diseases without reliance on the testimony of "the material senses."
But although it is easy thus to refute the Christian Scientists, such
refutation satisfies no one and proves nothing except their logical
bankruptcy. The victory over their weak-kneed theory is a barren one,
for is it not notorious that people's practice may be better than
their theory? Skill in logic and in the accurate statement of one's
principles may be very slight, and yet the successful application of
these misstated or absurd principles may be a fact and a blessing.
I shall therefore undertake to examine and to discuss Christian
Science cures, not from the point of view of logic or consistency, but
by a study of the written testimonials and of my own experience gained
in the attempt to verify the claims of those who pronounce themselves
cured.
Some years ago I followed up, so far as was possible through personal
interviews and through letters, all the Christian Science "cures" of
which I could hear any details in or near Boston. Within a short time
I have returned to the subject and studied one hundred of the cases
recorded in the recent volumes of the _Christian Science Journal_
under the caption, "Testimonies from the Field." Putting together this
evidence and comparing it with my experience regarding the accuracy of
my own patients' statements about their own diseases, past and
present, my conclusions are, first, that most Christian Science cures
are probably genuine; but, second, that they are not the cures of
organic diseases.
In my own personal researches into Christian Science "cures," I have
never found one in which there was any good evidence that cancer,
consumption, or any other organic disease had been arrested or
banished. The diagnosis was usually either made by the patient himself
or was an interpretation at second or third hand of what a doctor was
supposed to have said.
As I have followed up the reported cures of "cancer" and other
malignant tumors, I have found either that they were not tumors at
all, or that they were assumed to be malignant without any microscopic
examination. In other words, the diagnosis was never based upon any
proper evidence.
I have never seen any reason to believe that lies were told by the
persons concerned. Their claims were the result of mistake or
intellectual mistiness, and not of intentional deception. The cures no
doubt took place as they asserted, but they were not cures of organic
disease.
Now, before going further, something must be said in explanation of
the terms "organic" and "functional" which I shall use throughout this
paper. By organic disease is meant one that causes serious, perhaps
permanent deterioration of the tissues of the body; by functional
disease is meant one due to a perverted action of approximately normal
organs. Functional diseases are no more imaginary than an ungovernable
temper or a balky horse is imaginary. They are often the source of
acute and long-continued suffering; indeed, I believe that there is no
class of diseases that gives rise to so much keen suffering; but still
they do not seriously damage the organs and tissues of the body.
Organic disease, on the other hand, may run its course accompanied by
much less suffering, but the destruction of tissue is serious,
perhaps irreparable.
The sharpness of this distinction between organic and functional
troubles is somewhat blurred by the fact that a functional or nervous
affection, such as insomnia, may lead, both directly and through loss
of appetite, to a loss of weight or to a considerable deterioration in
the body tissues. Here we have what might be called _organic disease
produced by functional disease_, and such organic disease as this is
often cured by Christian Science or by some more rational method of
mental healing. We must also recognize the fact that there are a few
rare diseases which we cannot certainly assign either to the organic
or the functional class. Yet, despite these reservations, the
distinction which the words indicate is still a clear one in the vast
majority of cases.
_Analysis of 100 "Cures"_
Having made this definition of terms, I will go on to present herewith
a table in which I have analyzed one hundred consecutive "testimonies"
from the _Christian Science Journal_. I have grouped these cases in
four classes:
First, seventy-two cases in which I find, on careful study, reasonably
good evidence for the diagnosis of functional or nervous disorder.
Second, seven cases of what appears to be organic disease.
Third, eleven cases very difficult to class, but probably belonging in
the functional group.
Fourth, ten cases, regarding the diagnosis of which no reasonable
conjecture can be made.
These cases, arranged in the first three groups, are as follows: