Medical Missionary Work in Atlanta, Ga.
By W. A. R.
It has just been my privilege to spend a few days very pleasantly in the Atlanta Sanitarium. Medical missionary work was first begun in that large city several years ago by Dr. C. F. Curtis, who began work as a nurse. He and his wife did excellent work, and built up a large part of the medical constituency we have there now, and also aided in bringing into the message several of the best members of the church. The site of the present church building was donated as a token of gratitude for help received by one who had taken treatments. The present sanitarium location, when chosen, was out in the country, but the city has grown so rapidly that now the institution is nearly surrounded by residences. Up to two years ago Dr. Curtis was with the institution, having as a nurse carried on the work from the first. Finally, desiring to establish a similar work farther out in the country, he secured land and built accommodations for patients about ten miles from the city, where he is now carrying on a good work, caring for sick people, supporting a church-school, and keeping up a Sabbath-school, in addition to attending faithfully all services in the city church. Dr. J. H. Neall is at present superintendent of the Atlanta Sanitarium. The sanitarium the past year has shown a good record. Dr. Neall has associated with him Mrs. Kenyon, a graduate nurse, and several undergraduate nurses. Elder R. T. Dowsett is business manager of the institution. The Atlanta Sanitarium is located within a few steps of the large city park. This affords the patients excellent opportunity to get out into the woods, next to nature. The zoological garden, being in this park, furnishes diversion to the patients who desire to spend some time there. In our efforts to establish sanitariums and other facilities for treating the colored people, as well as for training young people of that race as medical missionaries, we have endeavored to start such work in Atlanta. Property has been secured, together with a church building, accommodating also a church-school, in a good part of the city accessible to the colored population. The building to be used for treatment purposes is being fitted up as fast as possible, and when ready, will provide rooms for ten or a dozen patients, besides well-fitted-up treatment-rooms, a parlor, and kitchen. I was much pleased with the prospect before the medical missionary work. Miss Knight is in charge of this enterprise and is accomplishing much good through the enthusiasm and consecration with which she is carrying on her work. A large company of very appreciative people gathered in this chapel Monday night, January 17, to listen to a stereopticon lecture on our medical missionary work in various parts of the world, by the writer. This little sanitarium for the colored people is one of the institutions in behalf of which I have so often appealed to the various sanitarium families in this country, as well as to the young people's societies, for contributions. Can not we push this work along more rapidly, and thus make it possible for a larger number of these young people to be prepared for the medical missionary field? Great good has resulted from the medical missionary work in Atlanta. It would be a great blessing to our cause if a similar work could be carried on in every city of the South.