It was the cause of a great deal of suffering and disability.
There were three courses open: to accept the disease as a visitation of God, a chastening affliction sent from above, and to call to aid the spiritual arm of the church.

Except the "Peculiar People" few now take this view or adopt this practice.

The Christian Scientist would probably deny the existence of the rash and of the fever, refuse to recognize the itching and get himself into harmony with the Infinite.

Thirdly, the method of experimental medicine.
First, the conditions were studied under which the individual cases occurred.

The only common factor seemed to be certain straw mattresses manufactured by four different firms, all of which obtained the straw from the same source.
The second point was to determine the relation of the straw to the rash.
One of the investigators exposed a bare arm and shoulder for an hour between two mattresses.