Page:Medicine and the church.djvu/155

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found the following particulars recorded in my case book.

'I had only seen the lady once in my own house, when she stated that she was well past middle life, and for more than a year had been weakened by a well-known condition.

'On my telling her I must examine her she replied that she could not submit to it that day for sufficient reasons, so I arranged that when she was in a condition for examination she would let me know, and I would call on her and examine her. I made no diagnosis, and gave no opinion as to the nature of the case. I said no word about performing an operation.

'Instead of writing to me to call on her, she went to London. No doubt an examination would have revealed the fact that no disease ever existed.

'It is impossible to deal with patients of this class. Their mental equilibrium is disturbed; they distort what the doctor may say, and not infrequently invent and circulate statements he never made.'


II. The Society of Emmanuel

Special attention has been directed of late to the claims of the 'Society of Emmanuel.' This society appears to profess adherence to