SMALLPOX AND FAITH.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2483, 22 March 1882, Page 4

SMALLPOX AND FAITH.

[“South Australian Chronicle.”] When such a widesprcai scare has been created among the people of theso colonies by tho occurrence of a few cases of smallpox it may be interesting to many to learn in what an entirely different way the scourge is regarded by some other people. A family in Plumetead, Kent, was recently attacked by tho disease, and four pr five of them were prostrated at different dales. One case, that of a boy batween nine and ten years of age, proved fatal; and as medical aid bad not been called in a coroner’s inquest was hold. The name of the family is Morby, and they belong to a religious sect called the “ Peculiar People ” —a highly appropriate title as the sequel will show. The jury naturally hesitated to view tho body ; but as there was no help for it they did so, moat of them contenting themselves by glancing into the room where the corpse lay, and hurrying away. Tho foreman of the jury complained that they had been subject to the additional danger of coming into contact with friends of the deceased who were “ fresh from a bouse reeking with infeolion.” According to a newspaper report of the proceedings, “ The mother of tho deceased stated that the child had been healthy until toe 27th of December, when ho was taken ill with smallpox. She knew it was smallpox because his elder brother James was taken with it three weeks or a month previously. Two others of the family had been attacked and were now getting better. Deceased was no worse than the others until last Sunday, when her husband went for the elders of the church, and one of them came, laid his hands upon the child, and prayed to the Lord to save his life, but the Loid thought fit to take him, and ho died at four o’clock in the afternoon. The name of the older was Thomas Hines. The coroner Did none of you seek medical aid ? Witness —No ; we do not believe in that; we trust the Lord, who is all sufficient for us. While this disease was raging in your house your husband and nephew have been out and about as usual ? Yes. [Sensation.] My husband works for Mr Kersey on tho Park Estate, and is a good deal in the open air, but of course be goes to the office sometimes. Do you think your creed authorises you to murder a street full of people ?—There is no fear of that. Did yon give notice to the sanitary authorities ? No; we did not know that it was necessary to do so. And you kept it a secret from your neighbors ?—I do not associate with my neighbors ; they are ‘the world.’ Dr. Alfred Sharpe, house surgeon, said ho had made a post-mortem examination of tho body, and that the child had died of confluent small pox. Ho could not say that medical attendance would have saved the boy’s life, but it would certainly have increased the probability of his recovery. Thomas Hines said he was one of the elders of the Peculiar People, and had seen deceased three times during his illness. Last Sunday he laid hands upon him and prayed for his recovery, as directed in the sth chapter of ths Epistle of James, versos 14 and 15, and in many other parts ot the Bible. He did not advise medical aid, as he considered it superfluous while they had faith in God. Tho jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against John Morby, and he was committed for trial, but allowed at liberty on bail.” Here is a free and easy way of dealing with smallpox, by which all tho expanse, anxiety and inconvenience of an elaborate system of quarantine—of which these colonies have lately had a taste —wore entirely avoided. It will be considered by most people a drawback to tho eatisfaotoriness of this method of treatment that the unfortunate little fellow who was the subject of suc-h shameful neglect died under the treatment, and hia father was committed for trial on a charge of ’ manslaughter. It seems almost incredible that in these days tho ignorance and superstition brought to light by the facts of this case should be possible. The only redeeming feature in tho affair, if there be one at all, is the apparent sincerity of the misguided and “ Peculiar People.” That the parents of the children snould be satisfied to leave them in the hands of the Church and “ the Lord” without seeking proper medical assistance, and that the “ elder” of the Church should lay hands on a patient dying of smallpox, is a pretty good proof that, however fonatioal these people were, they believed in the doctrines they avowed. So far they are objects of pity. Reason can have very little effect upon such people. And yet it is intolerable that they should expose themselves and other people to all sorts of danger by their absurd superstition. Probably the verdict of the coroner’s inquest may throw new light upon the sub jeot. It is to be hoped that it will prove an effective, though a novel, method of conversion.