The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-29
HOSPITALS. LEPROsY AND CHRIS
TTANITF IN INDIA.

1
from the Rev. Frank Van Allen, NJ. d.,
of that city. Medical work was begun
10 years ago, and has since been a promi-
nent branch Of the mission work. DIR.
Van Allen has been there about nine
years, and operates in large hospital
and dispensary for women and children.
It's ERECTION was rendered possible by
donations from friends in India, but es-
peeially 10y the generosity of the Womens
Board of Missions, Boston. Ii is "a roomy
two-story building with n verandah on
all sides down stairs and upstairs Be
sides ample room for carrying on the
dispensary work there are accommoda-
tions for about 90 in-patients. There We're
treated last year in this hospital, new and
old cases about is, 600. A Bible woman
earnestly instructs the patients every
| morning while they are waiting for their
turn for treatment. DR. Harriet Il.
| Parker from Putncy VT, is in charge of
the Women's Hospital. The in-patients
occupy not only the three rooms available
| for them but overflow into the verandahs.
just across the street from the present
! structure large and really fine hospital
building is in the course of erection. The
| foundations arc Of stone, the superstruc-
| turc of brick and stone Verandahs down
stairs and upstairs, surrounding the hos
pital, will protect from the sun. This is
a matter of some Importance in tropical
| country. The cost of the building will
be about $4,000 rupees. OF this amount
| 26 600 rupees have been raised being sub
scribed entirely by patients in this coun-
try This leaves about 10, 600 rupees still
needed, but it is believed that every rupee
will be given by friends in India. The
most munificent donors so far have been
| the Rajah of Ramnad, 5000 rupees, the
| Nattukottai Chettios (merchant), 10000
rupees, the Zemindar of Setur 5000 rupees
| the Zemndar of Singampatti, 1000
rupees, and the Zcmindar of Sivagiri 1000
| rupees
| Every morning when the patients have
| gathered i'm tho dispensary building, be-
! fore the regular medical work begins, the
claims of the Christian religion are pre-
sented. This is done by the native pastor
who, as a rule, is listened to attcntivcly.
After the preaching service is over,
tracts given to those who will accept
| them the regular work Of the day begins.
Kindness is the enforced rule. II am com
| ing to be of the opinion, says DIR. Van
| Allen, THAT kindness Of manner i'm Civ
| ing attention and in handing out mcdi-
| cine counts in the successful conduct of n
| dispcnsary more than the curative action
of tho medicines given" The thanks
offerings are considerable especially con
sidoring the poverty of the people.
Leprosy is a disease which prevails in
India as i'm most eastern countries. 1t is
an interesting disease, principally because
it is SO pitiable The contagiousness of
the disease is largely ovcrestimated IL
seems in almost all cases to appear only
in those individuals whose ancestors
near or remote, have suffered with the
same trouble Loprosy appears in two
forms, the anesthetic and the tubercular.
The anesthctic is marked in the beginning
with the areas of numbness. These areas
on patches arc usually first noticed in the
hands or feet, and the trunk of the body
is usually the last invaded. Ulcers with
deeply excavated edges later appear,
usually on the bottoms of the feet or
palms of the hands They cat in deeply.
The ulcers are absolutely without pain
because of the local numbncss, but the
contraction of the tendons often gives rise
to severe shooting pains in the moro dis
tant parts of the arms and legs 1t is on
account Of the ulcers that the loss of
fingers and toes takes place. A lcper is
then in the last stages of the disease
The other variety, namely, the tuber-
cular begins with simple thickening of
the skin. In this variety the pain is not
marked and there is no numbness. The
thickening usually begins on or about
the face. Before she disease has pro-
gressed many months the thickening of
the skin above the eyebrows gives the
face very distinctive heavy look. The
chin and the alae of the nose and the ears
are seen sooner or later to be the seat of
thickening. 1t is at these latter that the
nodes or tubercles become specially devel-
oped and the victim with his distorted