St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-16
HAD TOO MUCH FAITH.
American Missionaries in Africa
Refuse Medical Aid and Die.

American Missionaries in Africa
Refuse Medical Aid and Die.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 15.-The British
minister has transmitted to the depart
ment of state letter from the governor
of Sierra Leone, enclosing report
from the colonial surgeon at Freetown,
Dr. ID. Palmer Ross, relative to the case
of certain American missionaries at
that place. DR.. Ross reports that the
superintendent of the party, MIR. King
man, arrived there on February z, 1890,
and was followed OH June by Mrs.
KingmaH, and MeSsrs Helmick, Jader-
quist, Codding, Trice "a negro, Gates
and HarrieS. 1t is stated that upon
their arrival they began to live in native
fashion, eating native food, cooking and
washing for themselves, and even col
lecting their own fuel in the
rainy season, hoping thus to
gain the confidence of the
natives. On July 8, Mr.. Kingman in
formed DR.. Ross that two of his party
had died that day. Upon inquiry DR..
Ross learned that no doctor had been
called in to attend the deceased Messrs.
Gates and HarrieS, the whole party be-
ing such staunch believers in faith
healing" that they had taken no medi-
cine, and had died of fever, Dr. Ross,
knowing that the tropical fever, if neg
lected, is apt to assume virulent form
among newly arrived white people, or
dered the bodies to be buried as soon as
possible, and sent the sanitary police
men to see the order carried out, to dis
infect the house and destroy all bed
ding, ETC., used by the deceased. That
officer reported that others were sick in
the house, fact which the missionaries
had not stated, and OH the next day Mr..
Kingman sent for the doctor to see his
wife. She was found to be in the last
stage of exhaustion from neglected
fever, having been i'll for nine DAYS:
and in;spite of all that could be done,
she died on the evening of the 18th. On
the previous day Mr.. Kingman was
found to be i'll, but refused to ac-
ceDt medical assistance. That evening
MIR. Trice, who was also i'll, sent
for the doctor and consented to be taken
to the hospital for treatment under
which he has recovered. On the 18th
MIR. Kingman. though worse, having
again refused to receive the doctor, that
gentleman informed him that, as the
missionaries had by their action origi-
mated malignant type of fever in Free
town endangering the whole community.
he would report the matter to the gov
ernOr, isolate the house and advise that
the rest of the party be sent back to
America. MIR. Kingman then consented
to be treated, ''solely on the grounds
that he did not wish to endanger the
community" and was on July %, 1890,
convalescent. Mr.. Ross adds that he
understands that these missionaries in
tended going due East into the interior
guided only by compass. In view of
these facts and of the statement in tile
Missionary Review that another party
of missionaries is expected. the gov
ernor of Sierra Leone calls attention to
the matter, as this climate is notIsuited
to those who trust alone to faith-heaIing
and ignore the means placed by DrOvi-
dence at their disposal for the relief of
suffering humanity, and as such con-
duct is danger to the community at
large.