WORK IN INDIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 April 1940, Page 8

WORK IN INDIA

SALVATiON ARMY OFFICER'S REVIEW. ADDRESS IN MASTERTON. The Salvation Army Hall was packed on Saturday night when Captain Dr. A. Bramwell Cook, chief medical ollicer Emery Hospital. Anand. India. gave an interesting and enlightening address on medical work in India. Major Mahaflie, of the local corps, presided. Dr. Cook covered a wide field, touching on the general work of the Army in India, and stressing its immense value to British rule. Speaking of the Emery Hospital. Dr. Cook said that when he took charge of it in 1931 there were 60 beds. Today it had 175 beds, operations totalled 4000 a year, and some 65,000 cases were dealt with annually. Indian patients exclusively were treated. There were five doctors on the stall’, four European nurses, and about 50 Indian nurses in addition to X-ray operators ano numerous dispensers. One of the chief problems that had to be overcome was the breaking down of the age-old caste distinctions. The provision of food for patients belonging to different casles had been a real difficulty. It could be overcome by employing all Brahmin cooks; but expense was a hindrance to that solution. The difficulty was met at the Emery Hospital by allowing relatives and friends of the patients to come to the institution and prepare all meals in special kitchens. No meals were provided for the patients by the hospital. Dr. Cook referred to the work being carried out among lawless tribes, slating that out of 40 such, compounds, 11 had been completely converted. On Sunday morning Dr. Cook gave a lecture on the “Missionary Challenge in India Today." followed in the afternoon by an address on "The Value o( Salvation Army Medical Work in India." Dr. N. H. Prior presided at the afternoon gathering. Associated with him on the platform were Drs. J. C. Forsyth and H. B. Berney and twelve nurses from the Masterton Hospital. Colonel and Mrs Scotney and Brigadier Green, of Wellington, were also present. Mrs Scotney led the gathciing in prayer, and Mrs Mahaflie read the scripture. Mrs Fairbrother and Miss Edmunds rendered a duet.

There was another large congregation in the evening when Dr. Cook gave an address on "The Message of Christ for India."