Evening star., 1909-05-22
Her Great Work Described as
Medical Missionary.
FIGHTING WHITE PLAGUE
Supported by the Women's Society
Of Washington Church.
HOSPITAL ON MOUNT LEBANON
Esta blished as a Memorial to the
Late DR.. Hamlin. Of the Church
Of the Covenant.
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

By WILLIAM e. CURTIS
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald
The Secretary of State has received
from G. Bic Ravndal. consul general of
the United States at Beirut, Syria. a
very interesting account of the ravages
of the great white plague in that part
of the world, and the measures which
have been taken by an American woman
to relieve it's victims and prevent it's
| ravages.
No disease is feared in Syria so much
as tuberculosis said Consul General
Ravndal. "The mere name. not to speak
OF the cough. gives the average Syrian
panic. Neither plague. nor cholera, nor
smallpox brings any such terror. and
every one who knows Syria is aware that
nothing will plunge the hearts of her
children into the deepest despair more
than contact with the great white plagu
Therefore every person afflicted with
lung trouble inevitably becomes more or
less OF an outcast. Usually the victim
is promptly removed to hut or pavilion
compelled to remain there. having prac-
ucafly no communication with the rest
OF the world. Food is left daily a short
distance from the hut, otherwise the
patient is aba ndoned. and the vicinity
is avoided by all until death relieves the
situation
Owing perhaps to these regid precau-
tions pulmonary diseases never became
widely prevalent in Syria until recent
years when a change for the worse has
gradually become manifest. The greater
number of victims have been returned
em1grants from the United States where
they have acquired the disease owing
to the climate. to contact. with other
nd 0fo1l
miserable quarters in which they have
lived because Of economy The first and
only purpose Of the Syrian emigrant to
the United States is to accumulate
money so that he might return to his
native land. To save rent. Syrian fami-
lies live in the slums of American cities.
huddled together In single rooms in in
fected tenement houses. and they seal
up the windows and every other means
Of ventilation for the purpose of saving
fuel They take no precautions, and
when they become infected they use no
remedies, hence an appalling percentage
of emigrants returning to Syria bring
tuberculosis with them. This is the
more unfortunate because there are few
PHYSICIANS and until recently no hospitals
or -sanitariums where they can be taken
care Of.
Another cause of the increase of tuber-
culosis in Syria" continues Mr.: Ravndal
lis the advent of consumptives from
Egypt and other parts of the Ottoman
empire who have acquired the habit of
spending the summer months In Syria,
especially in the mountains of Lebanon
and bring Infection with them.
Syrian Houses Poorly Ventilated.
With the advent of western civiliza-
ton, represented by missionaries, tourists
commercial travellers. merchants and
other foreigners. improvements have been
gradually introduced: the roofs of the
houses are being covered with tiles, glass
is being put into the windows, which
does away with the traditional opening
in the roof, the open door and the holes
that are pierced in the walls of the cab
ins to let In light. But, at the same time
these Improvements ruin the ventilation,
and the modern Syrian residence, always
built Of stone, is too often almost hermet
ically sealed, and is as badly ventilated
as a dungeon. This has also been the
cause of the disease, and has hastened the
death of those who have become infected
Thus the peed Of hospitals and intelli-
gent treatment has become more urgent
year by year. until two years ago DR.
Mary Peterson Eddy of Beirut undertook
the arduous task Of a pioneer in extend
ing aid and care to poor and friendless
|consumptives. There is not single hos
pital or any other place or means of mod
ern treatment in all Syria and Palestine
and the adjoining territory Of the Otto
man empire, except what DR.. Eddy is
building
Mary Pierson Eddy is the only woman
physician in the Ottoman empire with
official authority. She is supported by
the Women's Society Of the Presbyterian
Church of the Covenant at Washington
d. c. Although she is still In the prime
Of life she has had a most interesting
career and wide experience OF practical
benevolence. Her name is known from
one end of Turkey to the other, beca use
of her successful treatment of diseases
in the families of prominent officials of
the empire. and the remarka BILE surgical
granddaughter of the late Rev. Ansel
Eddy DID,. of Newark. y. j.. and
daughter of the late Rev. w. W. Eddy.
DID,, one of the earliest American mis-
sionaries in Syria. She was born in Sidon.
and with the exception of years Of study
and preparation in America. she has
spent her entire life in Syria, so that she
is thoroughly familiar with the Arabic
language and with the customs and con-
ditions of the Arabic-speaking world.
Missionary From Girlhood.
when she was a mere girl she deter
mined to devote her life to medical mis-
sionary work. and set about preparing
herself with the cheerful energy which
Is one Of her most striking characters
tics. In spite Of an accident to her eyes,
while she was carrying fruit to a sick
CldSS1ndtc at CO1lcSc, WHICH caused
years of invalidism and great suffering
she continued her studies and has re-
ceived diplomas from the University of
the State of New York. the medical col
lege Of the New York Infirmary and the
New York Ophthalmic and Aural Insti-
tuition and licenses to practice from the
medical council Of the state OF Massachu-
sets, from the state board of health of
New York and from the New York state
board Of pharmacy.
while at Constantinople waiting for
permission from the council of ministers
to appear before the imperial board of
medical examiners. DR.. Eddy took an ac-
tive part in combating an epidemic of
cholera of the most virulent type, at that
time raging in the city. She was herself
victim Of the disease, but ultimately re-
covered.
"Dr Eddy came through her examina-
tions triumphantly. and the dean of the
board proved a true courtier in observing,
with a twinkle in his eye:
"'You have passed the examinations
successfully, but have a word OF eau
ton to you in offering my congratula-
tions AS a physician I would advise
you to treat any diseases except those Of
the heart. I do not think that in such
cases you would be able to make a cor
rect diagnosis, for the symptoms OF the
patient would be masked by his adnira-
ton for such a physician as yourself
"As a medical missionary attached to
the Presbyterian mission In Syria, DR..
Eddy has labored faithfully and success
fully since 1894 AS the only woman
,hxc;cian vtfhjp fha lirnifs of the Otto