NURSE IN ETHIOPIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22320, 18 January 1936, Page 19

NURSE IN ETHIOPIA

WORK AMONG THE LEPERS

Writing from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mi"" E. K. Templeton, R.N.; a New Zealand nurse, strained at Invercargill, gives some interesting particulars of the leper stations in that country, states Kai Tiaki, the New Zealand Nursing Journal. "Ethiopia is reputed to have a higher incidence of leprosy than any other country in the world," states Miss Templeton. "There are two institutions set aside for lepers in the whole country. One.is at Harrar, and is run by the French Catholics. It takes, I think, about 60 patients. The American Presbyterian? Mission also treat a few leper patients at their station in Gorei; and, with our work at Furi, this is all that is being done, with the exception of a few injections of chaulmugra oil being given by individual missionaries. . "The work here at Furi commenced a year ago last September. There was accommodation (which is a stone building) for about 30 patients, biit huts have been built to take the overflow. Dr. Ralph Hooper, of Toronto, Canada, is the medical superintendent, and ne tells an interesting story of the supply of the financial and other needs for the first few months. The American Mission to Lepers co-operates to some extent with the Sudan Interior Mission in the work. The lepers are mostly indigent, and are fed, clothed and given medical treatment free of charge. It is really a faith work in regard to financial support. In January, the average number of in-patients per da?• wss 68.19; in February, 81.4. and in March the lowest figure per day was 89, and the highest 100. In addition, we have a clinid for outdoor cases, and to these two. give injections once weekly."