I am Mortality, Governor of the Province of Body, in
432:12 which Mortal Man resides. In this province there is a stat-
ute regarding disease, - namely, that he upon whose per-
son disease is found shall be treated as a criminal and
432:15 punished with death.
The Judge asks if by doing good to his neighbor, it is
possible for man to become diseased, transgress the laws,
432:18 and merit punishment, and Governor Mortality replies in
the affirmative.
Another witness takes the stand and testifies: -
432:21 I am Death. I was called for, shortly after the report of
the crime, by the officer of the Board of Health, who pro-
tested that the prisoner had abused him, and that my pres-
432:24 ence was required to confirm his testimony. One of the
prisoner's friends, Materia Medica, was present when I
arrived, endeavoring to assist the prisoner to escape from
432:27 the hands of justice, /alias /nature's so-called law; but my
appearance with a message from the Board of Health
changed the purpose of Materia Medica, and he decided at
432:30 once that the prisoner should die.
Judge Medicine charges the jury
433:1 The testimony for the plaintiff, Personal Sense, being
closed, Judge Medicine arises, and with great solemnity
433:3 addresses the jury of Mortal Minds. He an-
alyzes the offence, reviews the testimony, and
explains the law relating to liver-complaint.
433:6 His conclusion is, that laws of nature render disease
homicidal. In compliance with a stern duty, his Honor,
Judge Medicine, urges the jury not to allow their judg-
433:9 ment to be warped by the irrational, unchristian sugges-
tions of Christian Science. The jury must regard in such
cases only the evidence of Personal Sense against Mortal
433:12 Man.
As the Judge proceeds, the prisoner grows restless. His
sallow face blanches with fear, and a look of despair and
433:15 death settles upon it. The case is given to the jury. A
brief consultation ensues, and the jury returns a verdict
of "Guilty of liver-complaint in the first degree."
Mortal Man sentenced
433:18 Judge Medicine then proceeds to pronounce the solemn
sentence of death upon the prisoner. Because he has
loved his neighbor as himself, Mortal Man has
433:21 been guilty of benevolence in the first degree,
and this has led him into the commission of the second
crime, liver-complaint, which material laws condemn as
433:24 homicide. For this crime Mortal Man is sentenced to
be tortured until he is dead. "May God have mercy on
your soul," is the Judge's solemn peroration.
433:27 The prisoner is then remanded to his cell (sick-bed),
and Scholastic Theology is sent for to prepare the fright-
ened sense of Life, God, - which sense must be immortal,
433:30 - for /death/.