The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-06
WORK OF A COUNTESS.
WHAT LADY DUFFERIN ACCOM-
PLISHED IN INDIA.


Aid in the New Hospitals and
Medical Colleges for Women.
From The London Strand Magazine.
For several months there has been a de-
mand in church circles In Chicago for more
definite information as to the work of Lady
DulferIn among the women OF India. A
writer in our last number gives
the following interesting particulars
as to the results Of the move
ment inaugurated by Lady Dutferin, bring
ing the record down to the close Of the first
quarter of the present year:
The National Association for Supply ing
Female Medical Aid to the Women Of India
owes its origin to a wish on the part Of her
majesty the queen-empress to ameliorate
the condition OF the native women Of India /;
and when her excellency the Countess Of
Dufferin and Ava, before her departure for
India, took leave Of her majesty the matter
was discussed and left in Lady Dufferinis
hands. To better hands it could not have
been intrusted, and this noble lady adopted
every means of ascertaining In what drec-
tion, and by what means. the wishes Of her
majesty could most effectually be carried
out
The universal want of skilled medical aid
for native women, whom male physicians
are not permitted 20 attend, presented it
self as the desired avenue. The ablest
statesman would have been appalled,, and
the most ardent philanthropist would have
hesitated, before an undertaking so vast
as one that had for its object the providing
for the physical wellbeing OF 100000 900
women. Where was the wherewithai to
ha
superstition, and the prejudices of caste to
be overcomel The where and the
How" we're carefully considered, tormid-
able obstacles overcome, and the expert
ment made: how well il has succeeded |
will try 10 show.
The National Association for Supplying
Medical Aid to the Women Of India was
founded in 1885, Her majesty the queen
empress was its patron, the governors and
Lieutenant governors were vice patrons.
Life councillors, life members and ordinary
members we're TO be enrolled according to
the amount of their donations. The general
affairs Of the association were to be
managed by "a central committee, and
efforts were TO be made to establish branches
throughout the country. The money sub
scribed TO the national association was 60 be
called the Countess of Dufferin's fund"
Early in the year five and q half lakhs of
funds, and the society was registered. By
permission of the home department of the
government OF India, the surgeon general
aids the society in the selection Of the most
suitable women for medical services, and
they are grouped as follows:
1. Lady doctors registered under tho
medical acts of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and ireland, or possessing
such certificates as would entitle them to
such registration.
2. Female assistant surgeons.
3. Female hospital assistants.
The women receive a little more pay
than men In the same grades in the gov
eminent medical services because they will
have no pension, nor a regularly increasing
salary. The lady doctors who are brought
from England receive, in addition to their
passage ana an allowance for outfit, 300 ru-
PEGS per month, with quarters. and they are
allowed to have private practice as we'll.
The association was TO be unsectarian,
catholic and universal. Its aim was
l. Toprovide medical tuition for native
female students
2. Medical relief, by establishing female
hospitals and dispensarieS and the placing
OF lady doctors in different towns or dis
tricts.
B. Supplying trained nurses and ac-
coucheuses for women and children in hos
pitfalls and private houses.
How nobly-in spite of opposition and
JealousY-the association is steadily advance
ing will be seen from the following:
There are thirteen lady doctors, twenty
seven assistant surgeons and female medi-
cal practitioners, now working in connec-
ton with the fund, and 204 pupils studying
at the medical colleges and schools in India.
Boarding houses have also been established
for the students, where. under a lady, they
can be trained in habits of self-Tespecs.
geDtleness and dignity, and where they can
be safely protected on their entrance into q
comparatively public life, from one of con-
vent-like seclusion. That the female medi-
cal students are doing we'll is conclusively
proved by the reports. At Hyderabad, DR..
Lawrie says: 1.-TWO of the ledy students
beat the whole of the male students. and
secured the first places in their class at the
half-yearly competitive examination"
The niZam's government is sending these
two young ladies-one of whom is q Parsee
to England to complete their medical
education.
Over twelve lakhs of rupees have been
spent in the erection of buildings especially
adapted for affording medical relief to
native women. The number of women who
received medical aid during the year 1890
were All, oG0 The princes and chiefs OF
India from the first fully recognized the
value of Lady Dufferin's noble work and
have warmly supported it. Among the
most muni1cent donors are the maharaja,
the Nizam OF Hyderabad, and the Maharaja
of Ulwar. In 1886 the Begun of Bhopal
opened female dispensary and school, and
the Nizam Of Hyderabad founded six
scholarships and founded female medical
classes in his state.
In 1888 the Dufferin hospital az Nagpur
was opened, having cost $1,000 rupees, all
subscribed by Indian mobiles; there is also
the Walter hospital at Oodeypore, tie Lady
Lyall boarding house for students attending
the Lahore Medical College, toward which
the maharaja of Kashmir gave $4,000 ru-
PEGS; the Victoria hospital at Kotah, the
Lady Dufferin hospital at Fatiala, tue Ma
ternity hospital at Agra, he Ishwsrf hcs-
pital at Benares, and the Lady Dufferin
Zenana hospital at Calcutta.
1t is impossible for English women to real
ize the condition and suffering of their un-
happy sisters In India before Lady Dufferin
started her grand crusade on their behalf;
the thousand of lives yearly sacrificed, the
wholesale murder of infants and the life
long injuries Inflicted on the mothers-who
are little more than infants themselves
through the ignorance and inhuman prac-
tices Of the dhais (accoucheuses).
Lady Dufferin, when giving me a brief
account OF her work, was anxious that
should mention the earlier effort of the Ze-
mana mission, which, she said, ''paved the
way for the national association" Instead
of weakening and opposing existing chart
ties and societies, the association has been
instrumental in assisting and stimulating
them. aud supplying a common center Of
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