FAITH HEALING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1224, 5 September 1911, Page 4

FAITH HEALING.

AN INTERESTING BEPORT. In January, 1909, n Pub-commitleo of tho British .Medical Association was instructed to investigate-and report ou tho iriiolo subject of spiritual hciling. Tho procedure, adopted by the sub-committeo and their general conclusions are published in .1 supplement of tho "Bntfcsli Medical- Journal." In their general couohisions the sub-committee say 110 evidence was brought before them which, would "bear out the contention often urged by so-called 'spiritual healers' that n special 'gift of healing' is possessed by them." Tho summary of conclusions of the sub-committee, is as follows:— There is no difference in kind between "spiritual healing" and other forms of "mental," "physic," or "faith" healing. Tlie essential factor in all forms of pliysic healing is mental suggestion, which hoK been used from remote periods, although more -fully explained by modem physcholosy. There is abundant evidence of the efficacy of mental suggestion in the treatment of many disorders- No evidence lias l>ecu forthcoming of any authenticated cure of organic disease. The benolvts of hypnotic suggestion or waking suggestion can ho obtained from qualified medica.' practitioners whoso training enables them to distinguish the conditions which aro amenable' to this kind of therapy from the conditions which should be dealt with by other kinds of medical or eursricol treatment. In accordance with the principle that for tlhe protection of the public tho diagnosis and treatment of disease are be:-t left, in tho hands of t.hoso whose (raining has fitted them for that calling, any lornml co-operation of clergymen and medical practitioners in the treatment of disease* is to be deprecated..So far os tho ministrations of a priest may bo helpful, as they undoubtedly arc, in certain cases of illness, tho medical man, whose business it is to cure his patient by any means at his disposal, will naturally and gladly avail himself of them.