The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-28

introduce science are nearly always
crowned with success. The worshiper
OF idols or the follower of Mahomet will
resent any effort on your part to interfere
with his idea Of future life; but if you
can show him anything which he con-
siders will ameliorate his present condi-
ton, he is eager to adopt 1t. And the
branch Of science which appeals to him
more quickly than any other, perhaps,
is the healing art. medicine, surgery.
Missionaries all over the world have
grasped this idea now, for experience
has taught them that all doors are open
to the doctor.
In one Of the central provinces of In
dia not long ago measles broke out among
the natives shortly after the arrival Of
two women missionaries from America.
Children were soon dying in such num-
bers that the missionaries wished they
had learned something about medicine
be ore they came. They knew, however,
that children with measles should be kept
warm and not allowed to run any risk
Of catching cold. The mortality caused
by so simple disease, as they had known
it, astounded them, and they made in
quiries as to how the little patients were
treated. It was in the rainy season, and
they found that these poor people
thought the best way to cure measles
was to strip the babies perfectly naked,
and hold them out in the cold rain till
the water should wash all the measles
eruption of the skin. No wonder they
died. A fatal chill struck the frail,
fevered, little body, and the mother
could only moan and beat herself in de-
spair.
In Siam, when one falls sick, the doc
tors diagnosis Of the disease is serious
matter. He generally comes with his
mind fully made up that the patient is
possessed Of an evil spirit. To find just
where the BODY this evil spirit lies is the
diagnosis. The doctor takes tigers
tooth from his'pouch. The tooth is a
long canine one, sharpened to needle
point. This he jabs into the sick man
in various spots. If the sick man yells
with pain moro loudly when he is pune
turcd here than he does when is pune
tured there, then the evil one turks here.
Preparations are made to drive him out,
but generally the patients spirit deserts
the tortured body before the imaginary
one.
In Africa young missionary, who
went out from this city some time ago,
penetrated far into the interior, where no
white man had ever been seen before.
The tribe had q curious tradition that
some day white man would come to
them and do wonderful things for them.
So they built a hut, the best kind they
knew how to construct, to have it ready
for the paleface when he should arrive.
When this ardent young American sud-
IDENTIFY appeared one day, they welcomed
him with open arms. To say that he
was surprised, is putting it mildly. The
same day two women came to him, each
with child in her arms, and besought
him to cure them. He looked at the
babes and found they were dead. He
told them he could do nothing for dead
babes, and thereby at once fell off con-
siderably in their estimation. He asked
what had been done for the children,
and was told that their bodies had been
scored with sharp. stones to let the evil
spirit out. He counted on one little
body 400 cuts, and then there were more.
Those mothers loved their children pas
sionately. Fancy what pain they under
went while intiicting agony on their
babies in the vain hope Of doing them
good.
Some idea Of the manner in which
lunatics are treated may be gained from
the following thrilling narrative. Mrs.
Peoples writing from Siam, says:
tTwo of their number became crazy,
and as was their superstitious custom.
they were tied up for time, but as they
grew no better they were taken out and
buried alive, in spite of their cries and
pleading. There are thousands and
thousands bound in just such horrible
superstitions all around u.s."
Another writer from Korea, to ssThe
Medical Missionary Record, says:
1.-THE establishment of the native
doctor is quite equal to that of the patients
when the foreign surgeons coolly and
carefully sewers the living tissues with
his keen knife or unites them with needle !.
and silk. l was intensely amused last
week by the open.mouthed wonder of
group of soldiers and chair. bearers who
stood about tho door of my drug-room
to see me tie squirting artery and bring |
together the gaping edges of wound
incurred by one Of their comrades
Equal interest and anazement are dis
played upon every use of my pocket.case.
Almost every wound brought to me to
dress has been previously plastered with
mud or with some powder supposed to
possess healing properties, and my first
step IN treatment must be to clensa the
part of its filthy membranes. The
sight of blood for which he is responsible
quite unnerves the Korean, and no looks
with awe upon the tcrlnerity Of the
foreigner, who works en- coolly amid in
creasing streams of thered liquid which
h1nnanlf -