THE INQUEST ON MAJOR LESTER.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10214, 9 December 1898, Page 6

THE INQUEST ON MAJOR LESTER.

The."Christian Scientist" who attended Major Lester in his fatal illness, is' described in tho report of tho inquest as a istylishlydressed lady, Mrs Esther Gram,, who said'she was a widow, residing at 57. Albert, Gate Mansions. She was no relation whatever to the deceased, but wasinvitedby telegram to attend him on September sth. She was requested to go by the first available train. Coroner (Mr Roumieu): For what purposef • Grant: To give Christian treatment -"-Christian scientific treatment. I arrived the Same evening and saw the patient. I commenced my treatment the moment I got the wire.' Coroner: What! before you saw him? Mrs Grant: Yes, his mother told mc from what he was suffering. Coroner: I should like to know how you commenced to treat lum;

Mrs Grant (impressively): By what we call taking up the right thought of the omnipotence und love of God. Coroner: When you got to-your patient how 6_d<you proceed 1 to treat him? * Mrs Grant: By the same method of thought. "Did you find it produce • the. desired effect?" ti« Coroner inquired. "Yes," replied Mrs Grant; "they told mc so ; from the time I received the wire he had nopain, and went to sleep." Coroner: I presume you do not make any charges for this method of treatment? "Yes, we do make a charge," replied the Christian SC-Mt-*. ■ ■

(Coroner: Might I ask how much it is? ;*__ guinea a week." "And out-of-pocket expenses?" the Coroner suggested; but Mrs Grant replied, "I have made no charge beyond the guinea a weefc"

"Do you administer . drugs?" "None whatever."

Coroner: Is it simply done by what you call "thought?'' Mrs Grant: Yes; it is done by nothing else. ' "Supposing now," said the Coroner, "a person broke his leg, how would you pro* , ceed to treat it?"

Mrs Grant: We should ask a surgeon to treat it. ..

. "Now, will you toll mc," continued the Coroner, -'upon what grounds you base the principles on which you work?" "We believe," said; Mrs Grant,' "that the law of God is applicable to healing." The lady went on to state that she gave no. material remedy whatever to alleviate pain, and that she continued her treatment while away from the patient, hut she maintained he got much better, and was able to ,ao out. She was with him when he died. Witness developed her theories to the extent of arguing that Christ never sent the »ck to physicians. The Coroner: No," certainly not; because he was the greatest of all physicians. Christ bad a power which these Christian Scientists are trying to usurp. They are trying to make themselves equal to God.. Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel. Clarko said the deceased must have suffered very great pain between September sth and October 6th, the day of his death. During such an illness there would be intervals of apparent but not real improvement. In -mnming up the Coroner said that it was most probable that anything he or the jury might say would not alter the opinions hold by the extraordinary people of whom Mrs Grant was a type. They would go on in the. errors of their ways until something happened to bring them to their senses. He could not help thinking that some of these peoplo would be much better—and very much safer—if they were confined in a lunatic asylum instead "of carrying out Absurd and ridiculous ideas. (Applause.) 2™ J«ry found that Major Lester died through tubercular peritonitis. They ex-1-ressed their enure satisfaction of the treatment of Dr. Clarke and his medical col-l«e«-es, and, further, their strong sense of ttbhorwmc-of the so-called treatment by Mrs Grant. J