New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-17
TubercuIosis i'm The East
How Dr. Mary Eddy Fought This Most Dreaded
Plague of Turkey Singled Handed.

Its the one work in the world that pays
for itself. one doesn't have to think Of
future rewards-it pays for itself. day by
day, as one goes along"
That is what DR.. Mary Eddy. just back
from Turkey for brief visit to her native
land, thinks OF her work And yet 1t is
work that most people would consider both
arduous and heartbreaking. To have start
co out, without money. without support, TO
found a hospital in a strange country for
the victims of n disease which the In
habitants Of that country regard with more
horror than they do leprosy-to carry II
along single handed almost, deprived again
and again by the surrounding fear and
prejudice Of nurses and helpers-that is
work one would think that could pay only
ir blood and tears.
But DR.. Eddy. as she came to meet the
Tribune reporter in a parlor Of the Hotel
Martha Washington, didn't look as II she
ever shed a tear in her life. Anybody
would take her for the contented mistress
OF a sheltered American home. She smiles
a good deal and appears altogether az II
life were rather a pleasant proposition
When she begins to talk one perceives that
she has been much too busy rescuins and
taking care Of unfortunate consumptives
in Turkey TO spend any thoughts upon
what kind Of proposition life is
tuberculosis It appears IS the most
dreaded Of ell plaques in Turkey. II Is
60 dreaded that those stricken with 1t are
not infrequently, taken to some lonely
place and left there TO die. Only the an
seeing stars know how many poor Great
ures have coughed their lives out I'M
tended. forsaken. in chill mountain FAST
nesses or the dried beds OF streams. But
one such case was enough to change the
course of DR.. Eddy's life. She had been
doctor OF the eyes in Beirut. she hau
studied medicine, first In New YORK. then
in Massachusetts, and after getting phy-
sician's diploma in each OF these s'ates
and a chemists diploma 10 boot. she hau
spent one solid year getting diploma IN
Turkey. and she is now. by the way inc
only woman who holds license 10 prac-
tise medicine in that country.
For some years she worked in Beirut |
as a medical missionary under the Pres
bvterian Board devoting her attention
mostly TO diseases Of the eyes. and flndlng
enough to do in that time. But one day.
among the many stories Of suffering that
came to her. came one OF a woman WHO
was dying OF consumption. abandoned by
her relatives. in a cave Inhabited by
crazy woman near Beirut. 1t WASH So
hsartrending as thes cases Of consumptives
whose relatives poured kerosene over them
and burned them up, but 1t was bad
enough to make DR.. Eddy eager TO rescue
the woman. Before she could reach her.
however. a hard storm swept the country
and in II the woman died Then and there
Or Eddy resolved that she would give the
rest of her life to trying to help these poor
creatures.
and So she told the reporter, simply
81 began my little work"
II had. indeed, a small beginning. did the
Mount Lebanon Hospital for Consump-
tives which now boasts two good-sized
buildings. one up in the mountains four
thousand feet above the Mediterranean
uron which ii looks down, the other upon
the shore. Dr. Eddy had no money to
begin with-not that that discouraged her.
II don't think it's well to put of doing
things lust because one hasn't the money
she says You begin. and then others
come in and help. while II a matter Is only
talked about, not started, they regard II
doubtfuly."
Two tiny huts made OF native mats.
were the first Mount Lebanon Hospital.
The first patient was a young man VINO
had been stricken with a severe hemor-
rhage from the lungs. He recovered, and
is now studying medicine. At the tubercu-
losis exhibit held recently in Beirut by
the Red Cross Society-the first tubercu-
losis exhibit ever held in Syria-Dr Eddy |
had a model OF these little mat huts on |
table beside a picture OF Mount Lebanon |
Hospital as It now stands
And as 1 finished speaking" she told |
the reporter. what was my surprise to see
my first patient coming up to me. And
when he saw the model OF the hut in which |
ne got back his health he couldn't speak. ,
He Just took my hand and wrung 1t and
wrung Ii"
The growth Of those two huts to a build |
ing of thirty-nine rooms, with large an |
mex down on the shore. was accomplished, |
DR. Eddy says. without a single request |
from her to any one for money, and she re-
grets very much the report that she has |
come 10 America in search Of money bene-
factions now.
II came TO visit the sanatoria of my own
country" she said. "Of course. have to
leave Turkey now and then TO see what is
being discovered and done for the help Of
eonsumptives and TO get the newest kind
OF paper sputum cups and so on. We
don't have those things in Turkey. l have
Just been attending the tuberculosis ex-
hibit in England. ] know more about the
Some Season,