Medical Missionary Needs of Some Fields by L. A. H.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 30, 1913

Medical Missionary Needs of Some Fields

By L. A. H.

We give herewith some extracts from our office correspondence presenting some of the conditions that call for help in medical missionary lines and emphasizing the importance of medical knowledge and training for foreign field work:—

Syria

“I am impressed with the importance of our giving careful study to the need of sufficient medical training for missionaries working in the mission fields, where they must often meet the sick. We find ourselves unable to give the needed advice on account of lack of knowledge in the fundamentals of healthful living, treatment of certain cases, etc.

“Here we see the need of physicians to open up mission work among the natives in the interior, especially among the Moslems and others, where a minister will hardly find an audience or even an entrance, unless he can join with his spiritual message that of physical help for the suffering. There is a tremendous and fruitful field of labor for a consecrated medical missionary who is not a professional physician alone, but a missionary.

“In countries like these, especially in the interior, it seems to me to be imperative that a minister or gospel worker should be accompanied by a medical worker. A man who has the training of a nurse is not sufficiently qualified. At Jerusalem we have some medical work established, but we are handicapped for the want of a physician. We can not do independent work and treat patients as we should, making our medical work secondary, as there are plenty of other doctors and well-equipped sanitariums. Free treatments may be had by most of the patients.

“We in the Near East need some good physicians to do missionary work in the field, ministering to the sick, and thus acting as the right hand in the work here. There seem to be unlimited possibilities for a good, consecrated doctor who has his heart fixed on bringing the message of eternal life and a powerful Saviour to the people, while ministering to their bodily needs successfully. “W. C. ISING.”

East Caribbean Mission

“The people in these islands need a great deal of instruction on how to care for their bodies; but how to reach them is a large problem, as we are not allowed to give the simplest treatment to the sick. Only government doctors can practise here; and if they should find out that we are helping the people or advising them in such matters, they would make it hard for us. We see a great many die who, if they had been properly cared for, would have lived; but in most cases we are powerless to help them. Many die very suddenly, often after only a few hours’ illness. Large numbers die of apoplexy, all classes and conditions of people being subject to it. H. C. J. WALLEKER.”

Jamaica

“It is very important that those coming to a new field know how to adapt themselves to its climate, its food, and its generally new conditions. Many come with the idea that abundance of sunshine is all that is needed. Others seem to think that if they can get all the bananas and oranges they want, they will need nothing else. There is need of an intelligent and comprehensive knowledge of what one should do to become well settled in a new country, and how to make the best of the conditions found there. U. BENDER.”

British Guiana

“We are doing practically nothing here in the way of medical work, except what our workers are doing as they visit the homes of the people. They can do but little, as they have never had any training and know very little about caring for the sick. In fact, if they get sick themselves, they are just as full of superstition as others are. It is hard to get it out of these people.

“A good work could be carried on in Georgetown with visiting nurses and treatment-rooms. Of course, the services would have to be free, as the people are very poor. We are selling a few copies of Life and Health, but even at the low price at which they are sold, the people complain that the magazine is so high they can not afford to buy it.

“We are of good courage in the Lord, and the message is going forward with power here. Many souls are taking their stand. We lack in means, in both money and men, for carrying forward the work as we should. Still we can see God’s hand every day. We thank him for a part in his work.

“I give herewith some figures I received from the American consul, showing something of the need here of medical workers who can help by giving instruction in health and in caring for the sick. In the face of these conditions, we have been blessed with very good health, except that we feel the continuous heat. It is not possible to do as much work here as in the States. “E. C. BOGER.”

We give herewith a part of the special report that Brother Boger sends regarding health conditions in British Guiana:—

“The report of the registrar-general shows that the deaths in 1910 were 10,424, the births 8,332, leaving an excess of deaths over births of 2,092. Of these 8,332 births, 3,325, or 39.9 per cent, were legitimate, and 5,007, or 60.1 per cent, were illegitimate. The foreign-born European population decreased from 7,911 in 1891 to 3,638, a decrease of 54.7 per cent.

“A recent examination of several hundred schoolchildren revealed the appalling fact that seventy-five per cent were already afflicted with filaria, or elephantiasis, and a medical estimate places the proportion of the population of the colony suffering from this disease at forty to forty-five per cent. It is incurable in this climate, and the only known way of arresting its progress is to go immediately to a cold climate to live. A return to the tropics usually brings it on again. The mosquito which carries the filaria germ is found in all parts of the colony.

“There is much malarial fever all over the colony. It is common on the sugar plantations. No general campaign has been made for the extermination of the mosquito. The number of cases of malarial fever admitted to the Estates’ Hospital for five years, from an average population of 58,778, was respectively: 1906-07, 33,748; 1907-08, 26,930; 1908-09, 28,181; 1909-10, 27,301; 1910-11, 21,063.

“Quinin is distributed by the post-offices of the colony at cost prices. The sale is steadily increasing.

“The average daily number of inmates in the leper asylum during the year ending March 31, 1911, was 424. Exhaustive experiments on the efficacy of the Nastin treatment for leprosy were conducted by the Colonial Bacteriological Office, and showed a practically complete lack of beneficial results.

“The average number of resident patients daily in the lunatic asylum during the year was 746.”

These calls present but a small part of the great need of help. Surely there is ample opportunity for every true-spirited worker who would prepare for usefulness, or who may be already prepared, to find a field for his most faithful and ardent labors. L. A. H.