ular preeminence of Christian Science' and advises reading Science and Health. Truth courts investigation, and when Science and Health is universally read, its abstract and metaphysical statements will be found simple compared with the tangled verbosity of human reason and human logic.
Logic is, indeed, the language of science, but scientific fact is based on principle, and principle—call it what you will, but I call it God.
J. Edward Smith.
[Professor Jastrow's article on 'The Modern Occult,' published in the September number of the Popular Science Monthly, has not unnaturally called forth a number of replies. As there seems to be some fairness in the claim of the 'Christian Scientists' that a sect counting its adherents by hundreds of thousands should be heard in its defense, and as Mr. Smith appears to have been delegated to make an official reply and has consented to do so briefly, we have pleasure in publishing Ms letter. It will be read with interest by many, and will undoubtedly confirm Professor Jastrow's statement that argument is impossible when people do not speak the same language. From the remote past men have worshiped strange gods in strange ways, and that there should be survivals and avatisms is in nowise surprising. We are not concerned with these, but when a religious sect trespasses on the domain of science it must be treated in accordance with due process of law. The Christian Scientists in their claims to treat all manner of disease have laid themselves open, not only to the charge of folly, but also of charlatanism. The writer of the above letter offered to produce before the editor of this journal a number of persons who had been cured of snake bites by Christian Science treatment. As people almost never die from bites of American snakes, and as there is no reason in this case why the Christian Science treatment should kill them, the production of the survivors was not a matter of scientific interest. It was, however, suggested to the gentleman that he permit himself to be a subject for inoculation experiments with snake venom, as his assurance that he could not be poisoned would in nowise interfere with the scientific results. To this proposal, however, he did not take kindly. It is on record that Mrs. Eddy not only suffered from toothache but took nitrous oxide gas when the teeth were extracted. But the inconsistencies of the leaders of Christian Science make no impression on its adherents. We do not speak the same language.—Editor.]
MR. TESLA'S SCIENCE.
To the Editor: In the New York Sun for January 3, Mr. Nikola Tesla has an article that deserves a word. The word is one of warning to all sober-minded readers to remind them that Mr. Tesla's recently published utterances have discredited him in the eyes of competent judges. In the Century Magazine for June, 1900, Mr. Tesla printed a long article, superbly illustrated with cuts that had little or nothing to do with his subjects, which dealt with a few electrical matters, and also with philosophic and social problems upon which he freely expressed a jumble of trivial, ignorant, pretentious and erroneous opinions. This article was freely reviewed in the Popular Science Monthly for July, 1900, and in Science for September 21. These reviews were doubtless seen by Mr. Tesla, but no word of reply has been made public by him. Indeed, he says in the Sun that from adverse criticisms on his work he experiences 'a feeling of satisfaction.' Any one who desires a standing among men of science is called upon to defend his public utterances when they have been seriously questioned in reputable scientific journals. Until an adequate rejoinder is received Mr. Tesla has no standing among professed men of science. He will have none among intelligent readers from the moment that the case is understood by them. It is not
