From India

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Oct 15, 1914

From a letter recently received from Dr. V. L. Mann, of Lucknow, India, we take the following interesting paragraphs:—

“Some plans have been laid for the establishment in this country of a sanitarium, but we have been hindered by the lack of means. In the meantime our medical mission work for the Indian has consisted of hospital and dispensary work, and this seems to be meeting the needs quite well. While I believe there is a place in India for a well-conducted sanitarium, there are between three and four millions of people to be reached by medical missions, and but a few thousand Europeans and educated Indians to be reached by sanitariums.”

“I was pleased in my observation of the work carried on in one of our sanitariums in the homeland, to note the keen interest shown in the people of the vicinity and in the spiritual welfare of the workers. Such work will be blessed not only spiritually, but financially. If institutions will do the work within and without the walls that they should do, God will bless them, and our medical Canaan will be reached. I do not mean by this that we should neglect the medical side of our work. We must excel in both lines. An institution working thus will have the respect of the community at large and the confidence of our own people.”

“In India our medical facilities are made up of dispensaries that help the masses of the country, treatment rooms that reach the European and the educated Indian, a health food factory, and a health journal, and just now we are launching a hospital with which to unify this work. With the hospital will be a medical training school to prepare workers to take charge of our dispensaries, which are the largest part of our medical work.”

“The question of temperance is a live issue in India. The Indian per se is not so very bad in respect to drunkenness, but the foreigner is teaching him, and therefore drunkenness is spreading like wildfire. Temperance workers are doing a good work here. Each year we put out a special Temperance number of the Oriental Watchman, and frequently run an article in Herald and Health on the subject.”

“We are just forming plans to expend the means given to start our central training plant to unify the different parts of our field. This money was given by our dear people at home in the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. We intend to keep them informed as to what is accomplished with the money. We are spending this money in that wonderful part of India called the Punjab.”