MIRACLES AT LOURDES

New Zealand Tablet, 2 March 1911, Page 395

MIRACLES AT LOURDES

DOCTORS BEAR TESTIMONY The interesting annual reunion of those cured miraculously at Lourdes took place recently at the Hotel Conde, Paris, in the presence or a large and attentive crowd (says the Universe). On the platform were the eminent Dr. Boissarie, president of the Office of Verification of Cures, and the doctors who had charge of certain patients who had been miraculously cured. Of the miracules or cured, ladies formed the great majority; and no one seeing them now so healthy and happy would believe that only a few months ago these young girls and women were in the agony of suffering, victims of incurable diseases. One could read in their serious and thoughtful countenances their gratitude to the Virgin of Massabielle. Dr. Boissarie spoke first. He took the excuse of the Rev. Mr. •Boothmann, a converted English minister, who was to be present to describe the miraculous cure of his son, who had suffered from bone caries (or bone decay) in the ear. He then gave a rapid or short expose of the question of cures in general. Dr. Le Bee, head surgeon in the Hospital St. Joseph, presented Miss Mary Borel, from Mende, who, after a crisis of appendicitis, suffered from a perforation of the intestines and from six fistula of tuberculous origin. She was suddenly cured after some baths in the piscina. Dr. Maumus, of the Pasteur Institute, spoke of Miss Alphonsina Bouchard. He described the peculiarities of Pott's disease, from which this young girl suffered, by which she was rendered a hunchback and kept in perpetual agony. See her now as straight as an arrow and in perfect health. Dr. Pley introduced two young ladies, the Misses Teresa Fontaine and Gabrielle Durand, two interesting cases of advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. Miss Gabrielle Durand's case was particularly striking, as she had been kept for several Months in a. Kind of Surgical Apparatus. On August 24, 1908, after a single immersion in the piscina, she rose up and left behiifd her for good the kind of plaster shroud in which she had been enveloped. Now it was the turn of Dr. Bonnet, whose patient, Mr. Bijeaux, made himself the recital of his cure.

Afterwards came Dr. Bion with his two patients, the Misses Poulain and Buffet, and Drs. Daniel and Sable, with Madame Travaillard, from Tours. Finally came Dr. Van der Elst, who, after having dilated very learnedly on the ulcers of the stomach cured at the Grotto and made short shrift of the scientific calumniators of Lourdes who, by the way, would account for the cures by suggestion, presented the three cases that he had particularly studied. The three cases were those of the Misses Roux, Demarry, and Herault, who arrived at Lourdes in a dying condition and who to-day stood before the audience full of emotion, with their faces wreathed in smiles. The young savant proclaimed aloud his faith in the supernatural intervention of the Blessed Virgin, after half 1 thunders of applause broke out from all parts of the hall. After Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, which was given at the close of the reunion, Miss Genevieve Hartreuxi about whose case Dr. Van der Elst had already spoken, was good enough to give us some additional details about her cure. She said: Sir, some four years ago I was laid upi with sickness. All brain labor was forbidden me-I was suffering from albumenana, enteritis, and from a disease of the vertebral column. My condition soon became very serious, notwithstanding the devoted attention and skill of V- r * tionuet, who diagnosed me as laboring under Pott’s c isease. k? 11 I was about to start for Lourdes some five months ago, 1 could not make a single movement of any kind. i I could just take a little broth to sustain life I started in the month of August last, packed, so to speak, in a case in such a way that I could not possibly budge in my position. 7 The 22nd of August, 1910, I was placed on the Esplanade during the procession of the Blessed ament. When the Holy Host was carried past I felt the most intense agony. One would have said that a thousand sparks of fire had flashed up within me. Then immedlately all pain left me, and I felt I could move my arms 810-spd lb Mn+ l WaS f CU p ed T , ? 1S - now three months since the not"i d tr^ nf r ° f ( V- )d took T lty on mc - There remains not a tiaco of my disease. I can run and leap like mv comrades and you may take it for certain 1 am P trying to thatVlmdTnif tlnG +1 lam commencing my studies again that 1 had to abandon three years ago. I can eat and drink as much as four like me; indeed, I have already gained eleven kilos in weight. You see the Blessed virgin, in

■whom I had always such unbounded trust, has not forgotten to make me a recompense. -What an edifying spectacle is that gratitude, that testimony to benefits from on high. The doctors speak with the greatest coolness and precision about these harrowing cases of human misery. They point out that neither hysteria nor nervousness nor suggestion can be called in to explain the immediate healing of those dreadful wounds and fearful ulcers. None of the adversaries of the press, none of the clinical surgeons who decry these miracles and foolishly try to explain them by natural causes, were present at the reunion. No; it did not suit them. Incredulity tries above all things to escape from the visible and tangible evidence of these cures which is displayed before the eyes of all, and which everyone can verify for himself.