The Medical Work in Barbados, West Indies
The Hastings Sanitarium is situated at Hastings, the well-known health resort of Barbados. The large number of visitors who frequent this part of the island for their health, the close proximity to the sea, and the easy access to the city, two miles distant by street-car, are features which help to make its location an ideal one. Previous to our beginning, an opening had been made by Brother Charles Enoch, who conducted treatment-rooms in the city. After working for some months, he went to Trinidad, where his work was suddenly brought to a close through his falling a victim to yellow fever. The institution had a very small beginning. Our appliances for giving treatments were simple, consisting principally of a few treatment-tables, a vapor-bath cabinet, a bath-tub, a hand-battery, and some hot-water bottles and blankets. Elder D. E. Wellman, who was then laboring in Barbados, took a very active part in launching the enterprise. His valuable service will be remembered as long as the work lasts. Our treatment-tables are still tangible witnesses to the manual assistance he rendered. It was evident from the outset that the methods of treatment introduced were regarded as an innovation and viewed with suspicion. There was a deep-seated prejudice against the use of water as a curative agent. Electricity and massage met with greater favor. In order to meet popular sentiment, we changed the name, advertising as the Massage Institute. There was before us a long and difficult task of educating the people to see the vast superiority of natural remedies over drugs. It was evident that we should have to bide our time, if we would succeed. In order to give publicity to our principles, we distributed five hundred copies of a special West Indian edition of the English Good Health. These were sent to the leading citizens for nine months at our own expense. On the back cover we had an advertisement of our work. The results obtained by the treatments proved to be the most powerful means of breaking down the wall of conservatism. Each person treated went out as an unsolicited witness to the principles. The lapse of time has brought a triumph for the work, for which we are grateful to God. About a year ago we were able to add a few valuable requisites to our equipment. This was made possible through a loan made by one of our patients. Our facilities are now modern, including an electric-light bath, solar arc lamp, centrifugal vibrator, sinusoidal and galvanic electric apparatus, needle- and shower-bath. The increase of facilities made