The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-05-14


 paigns Against Typhoid and Tuber-
 culosis-Turkish Ladies go to Lee
 tuer with Negro and Eunuch At
 ture With Negro and Eunuch At
 By Emily Ray Gregory, sPh. D. Professor of Biology, American Col
 lege for Girls, Constantinople. Exclusive Service The Survey Press
 Bureau.
 Since the Young Turks have come into power we have had four hygenic lectures, something never possible be- fore, and we feel that the public health work so sorely needed, is now fairly under way.
 In the first place I must tell you of some of the local difficulties to be surrnounted. Among the old Turks, ladies and gentlemen never attended a public gathering, not even church, at the same time, and it would have created a great scandal, if any idea should get about that our students, among whom there are thirty Turkish girls, should be present at gather ing to which gentlemen, especially Turkish gentlemen, are invited. AL though there is somewhat more free- dom among the young Turks, we could run no risks of that nature. Forum ately the hall we use does not be- long directly to the college, and though situated by our entrance gate, is entirely separate from our build ings, so that there is no need of any student being seen by those attend ing the lectures.
 The lecture on the Cause and Pre- vention of Typhoid Fever, was given by pr. Kadri Raschid Pasha, an emil nent young physician trained in Paris. The audience listened intently and lecture sets of rules to avoid ty phoid fever were distributed.
 The next lecture, to which only la dies were invited, was on The Hy- giene and Food of Children. At least one hundred Turkish ladies and our Turkish girls came, and all listened eagerly to a long and able lecture by the same Dr. Kadri Raschid Pasha. Most of the ladies stayed and had tea with us. A negro attendant and a eunuch were characteristic additions. The ladies wore their tcharshafs but with raised veils.
 The interest shown in the lecture was much greater than I had dared count on. Several thanked us before they went away. One lady belonging to a very high family and the mother of one of our students. spoke of the value and importance of such lectures for our young women.
 On March Il we had a lecture on Contag agious Diseases of Children, by Dr. Suleiman Noumau Pasha, a spe- cialist who studied in Germany and France.
 On March IS we had lecture by Dr. Aakil Mouktar Bey on Tuberculosis and it's Prevention, and we had leaf lets on How to Cure and Prevent Tuberculosis distributed after the lec- ture. Dr. Aakil Mouktar Bey had been back in Con stantinople about a wear. following extended studies chief ly in Paris.
 Next Friday we shall have lec- ture by another prominent physician, pr. Aassaf Devrish, on The Education of Girls from the Standpoint of Physi- April on The Sanitary Care of the House, by pr. Aakil Mouktar Bey. Dr. Rza Teufik Bey. prominent Turkish statesman, and Dr. Djenab Chehabbedin, the president of the In1- perial Health Commission, have each promised us lecture.
 An American school in Stamboul is now going to have lecture on tuber- culosis and we are supplying it with tuberculosis leaflets. Our students tell me they think that if we can have lectures in Stanboul and Pera even larger numbers will attend.
 All the discouraging forecasts Of old residents have been disproved. There has not been a single moment of op- position or even of indifference. On the contrary, the audiences have giv- en their grateful support, ana the em- inent physicians whom we have ask ed to lecture for us, although driven by professional work and their duties on the medical staff of the university, their time and ability freely and thanked us for our efforts for the people. What more can we ask?
 If there were means for small but competent office staff for the necessary business and a well con- ducted exhibit, I believe the move ment would grow here as fast as in New York. and that it would receive financial help. But after thirty years of the misrule and depredations of Abdul Hamid, the people are not in a nosition to give largely, however in terested they may be, and one can scarcely expect the foreign population to be very generous, though self-ln- terest should lead them to it. My experience so far leads me to think that at least for some time a general hygiene campaign will be more effec- five than to try to concentrate on tub ercrlfosis and it is, as you see, de- sirable.
 I have not yet become indifferent to the expectorations of consumptives on boats and cars and streets or in different to the knowledge that varfa- Ibid probably meets me every time l go to town and that the water is in fected with typhoid germs, nor have I become indifferent to the possibil-