SPIRITUAL HEALING

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 January 1923, Page 3

SPIRITUAL HEALING

A MEDICAL WARNING.

8 .... ... The British Medical Association oi' Australia, through its oflicial organ, has issued a warning in regard to the spiritual healing mission of Air J. Al. Hickson, who is about to tour Australia, and who will afterwards visit .New Zealand. It is pointed out that certain facts should lie made known in view of the, fact that medical practitioners have in the past ami may again he asked, to co operate or lend approval to this procedure. It is explained that the. methods of Mr ’ Hickson consist in the holding of a church service, with prayer and address, followed by the “laying on of hands” by the. Alissioner on all the. sick who have congregated for that purpose. The journal explains that in 1909 in England the British Medical Association appointed a, subcommittee. which examined patients brought forward by Mr Hickson. Ihe conclusion arrived at was that the “essential factor in the cures that had been wrought was suggestion. No evidence, was forthcoming of any authenticated cure of organic disease.” The sub-committee was satisfied that the ministrations of the spiritual healers of any persons skilfully using suggestion in its various forms, might cure functional disease, and alleviate pain in organic disease. ‘‘No instance has been recorded in which an organic disease proved by pathological examination to exist has been cured by suggestion. No practitioner of medicine will deny that suggestion is a very powerful agent in the treatment of disease, particularly oi a. functional character, lhe physician, however, is the person responsible for the treatment of disease. There is a distinct danger that in the hands of untrained persons irreparable harm may be done to the patient. The danger of delay in seeking medical aid is no small one and the present ‘‘preparations” for Mr Hickson’s visit are in this regard potentially dangerous.” “When spiritual healing can produce a single cure of cancer, the medical profession will be willing to revise the position,” is the conclusion of the journal’s warning.