also still binding on Catholic
physicians.

_The Fourth Lateran Council held under Pope Innocent III, A.D. 1215,_
Canon XII. That the sick should rather provide for the soul than the
body.

"Since bodily infirmity sometimes proceeds from sin, the Lord
himself saying to the ailing man whom he had cured 'Go now and sin
no more lest something worse should happen to you,' we declare by
the present decree and distinctly impose upon physicians of the body
that whenever it shall happen that they are called to ailing
persons, they must before all warn and persuade the ailing that they
should call in physicians of the soul so that after the spiritual
safety of the sick has been provided for he may proceed more
healthfully to the remedy of corporeal medicine, since the cause
ceasing the effect shall also cease.

"This among other things gave cause for this edict that certain
people lying on a bed of sickness when persuaded by physicians that
they should dispose things for the safety of their souls fall into a
condition of despair whence the more easily they incur the danger of
death.

{430}

"If any one of the physicians after this constitution of ours shall
have been published should transgress it he should be kept from
entrance to the Church until he shall have satisfied competently for
the transgression.

"Besides, since the soul is by far more precious than the body, we
prohibit under dire anathema that any physician should ever advise a
patient to do anything for his corporal welfare that would bring him
into danger of losing his soul."

_The Synodal Statutes of the Church of Mans (the chief town of
the Province of Main), A.D. 1247._

On Communion for the Sick.

"It was decreed in the general session and distinctly enjoined on
physicians of the body that when they happen to be called to the
ailing they must before everything else warn and persuade their
patients to call physicians of the soul, in order that after the
spiritual safety of the sick one may be provided for they may
proceed with more assurance to the remedy of corporal ills. If any
physician should transgress this constitution let him be kept from
entrance to the Church until he shall have made competent
satisfaction.

"Besides since the soul is much more important than the body it is
prohibited under anathema that any physician should advise a patient
anything for his bodil