Treatment Rooms in Jaffa
By Mrs. S. Horner
THERE is plenty of work here, as elsewhere, and I am joyful that some are willing to prepare themselves for this field. There are calls from every part. We have bath rooms at Jaffa, and a large number of patients are treated every day, with good results in almost every case. The patients come from all the classes represented here. There are sometimes more seeking help than we can treat in a day, as my husband and I are the only workers here. We are very much in need of a trained nurse, for help in the bath room and in visiting patients at their homes. We should do some Bible work also, but we can seldom spare the time. We are planning to accommodate some patients in our home, as they frequently come from the farther colonies, and would like to stay for treatment. The population of Jaffa is about fifty thousand. There are a number of European people here, besides English, Americans, and Jews. Some of the Arabs are quite well civilized; but the lower and middle classes can hardly read, especially the women and girls. There is much freedom for a physician, as the government is interested in the good done for the people. Once the pharmacist accused Mr. Horner before the pasha. He sent for him, but as Mr. Horner did not have time to go, the pasha came to the bath room. Before he left, he laid his hand on Mr. Horner's shoulder, and said, “You are just the man I want here,” and wished him success in his work, and told him that if anybody ever undertook to hinder his work, to come to him and report it. The climate is not considered unhealthful, yet there are some cases of malaria and yellow fever. But if a person lives carefully, he can get along very well. The people here suffer from disease quite largely because of the manner in which they live. Our work during the last year has been self-supporting, but we have been very busy. Fruit and vegetables are cheap, also some articles that are raised in this country. If a person spends twenty-five cents a day, he can live well. There is plenty of room for medical missionary work. Pray for us, dear brethren and sisters, that our work may be prospered.