WESTERN EDUCATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23000, 30 March 1938, Page 6

WESTERN EDUCATION

REACTIONS IN JAPAN OPINIONS OF MISSIONARY WORK AMONG THE LEPERS "While the education of Japanese to Western, ideas has in many ways proved detrimental to them, there are circumstances in which that education has l)cen beneficial," said Mrs. Andrew Koberton, a Scottish missionary in Japan, who arrived at Auckland yesterday by the Wanganella en route to Scotland.

"The Japanese children of coming generations will benefit more largely from and apply more wisely the education the Japanese are now receiving," she added. "For the older people the position is extremely difficult, caught as they are in a confusion of their own customs and ideals and those of their Western teachings."

Mrs. ltoberton, who has spent four years in Japan, was recently assisting at a home for the children of lepers, where, she said, many cures had been effected by treatment with chaulmoogra oil, which was procured from n bean grown in Siam. This treatment was, however, of no use in advanced cases and was found f more effective with children than with adults.

"The Japanese Government at Korea is facing tlio tremendous problem of leprosy in a practical way," said Mrs. ltoberton. "Actually, the greatest problem Japan lias to face is leprosy, which is very prevalent, and in some districts quite ignored or unchecked. The people of Japan, generally speaking, care little for, and know little of health and physical fitness. The wealthier classes, of course, aro more enlightened, but among the poor people, of whom they arc a great many, disease spreads rapidly, particularly when there is a poor physique and 110 knowledge of hygiene." The leprosy institute at Fusan and the leper colony on an island off tlld south coast of Korea, both received assistance from the Government and were doing a tremendous amount of good, continued Mrs. Koberton. Those two organisations accounted for 5000 lepers. The disease was regarded by tho .Japaneso with an almost superstitious horror, which made the work of segregating and treating the sufferers doubly difficult.