Prayer v. Prophylaxis

After assisting a babe into the world, U. S. doctors customarily see to it that a few drops of silver nitrate are dropped into the infant's eyes to prevent blindness from venereal infection. In 20 States such prophylaxis is required by law. In eleven more it is mandatory under certain conditions. In Washington last week the District of Columbia Committee of the House of Representatives had before it a bill to require in the District eye prophylaxis at birth. The bill carried a Senate amendment which was so full of religious implications that a subcommittee had to be appointed to deal with it. The amendment read: "The provisions of this section shall not be construed to apply to persons treating human ailments by prayer or spiritual means as an exercise or enjoyment of religious freedom."

The chief U. S. church which treats human ailments by prayer is the Church of Christ, Scientist. Having failed last year to kill a similar prophylaxis bill in its home State, Massachusetts, the Church had lobbied for the Senate amendment and sent its Washington one-man Committee on Publications, William G. Biederman, to the House subcommittee hearing last week to see that it stuck. Committeeman Biederman argued Christian Science's case on, broad Constitutional grounds while physicians and welfare workers simply held out for silver nitrate on its own merits. Said District Health Officer Dr. George C. Ruhland: "I have the highest regard for religion, but religious belief does not prevent blindness." Representative Virginia Ellis Jenckes of Indiana tried to soothe Committeeman Biederman's agitated scruples by suggesting that eye treatment was very little different from giving baby a bath. Soothed or not, the District subcommittee upheld medical science over Christian Science, recommended that the Senate amendment be stricken from the bill.

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