|
- 198 -
than his calomel and morphine, for the higher stratum of
mortal mind has in belief more power to harm man than
the substratum, matter. A patient hears the
doctor's verdict as a criminal hears his
death-sentence. The patient may seem calm under it, but he is
not. His fortitude may sustain him, but his fear, which
has already developed the disease that is gaining the
mastery, is increased by the physician's words.
(Disease depicted)
The materialistic doctor, though humane, is an artist
who outlines his thought relative to disease, and then
fills in his delineations with sketches from
textbooks. It is better to prevent disease from
forming in mortal mind afterwards to appear on the
body; but to do this requires attention. The thought of
disease is formed before one sees a doctor and before
the doctor undertakes to dispel it by a counter-irritant,
- perhaps by a blister, by the application of caustic or
croton oil, or by a surgical operation. Again, giving another
direction to faith, the physician prescribes drugs,
until the elasticity of mortal thought haply causes a
vigorous reaction upon itself, and reproduces a picture
of healthy and harmonious formations.
A patient's belief is more or less moulded and formed
by his doctor's belief in the case, even though the doctor
says nothing to support his theory. His thoughts and his
patient's commingle, and the stronger thoughts rule the
weaker. Hence the importance that doctors be Christian
Scientists.
(Mind over matter)
Because the muscles of the blacksmith's arm are
strongly developed, it does not follow that
exercise has produced this result or that a
less used arm must be weak. If matter were the cause
|
