“BELOVED PHYSICIAN”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18089, 16 May 1933, Page 3

“BELOVED PHYSICIAN”

DR. DAVID BORRIE NEW ZEALANDER IN IRAQ An indication of the universal esteem which a. New Zealand doctor, the. late Dr.'David Forbes Borrie, bad won, tor himself in Iraq is given in an issue of the. Iraq 'limes, which lias just- readied Auckland. The. late Dr. Borrie, who was a brother of Dr. W. Gillies Borrie, of Iternuera. was director of hospitals in. Basrah at the time of liis death, which occurred on March 23. He was known among tho Arabs and Indians as “the beloved physician,” and thousands of all classes attended his limeral. The late Dr. Borrie, who was born in' Dunedin, went as doctor to the British residents iu Basrah in 1911. after experience in England, and in JOlfi. he was appointed Civil Surgeon of Basrah —a, post, which he held until Ids death. As civil surgeon during the military regime ho was thrown into intimate touch with the. native population. Ho ran a very efficient hospital and dispensary,- crowded at all times, and ho and his staff were, probably the most overworked officials in the country throughout the. war, tho paper states. His first thought was the interest of the civil community, of which he was in charge, and through his strong representations, adequate medical facilities were maintained throughout the war period. He was awarded the honor of the 0.8. E. for his work.

Although invalided in 1919, ho returned later in the year to continue his work, and it was principally through him that the Maude Memorial Hospital, a modern and well-appointed institution, was set up in 1926. In addition to his work in the Maude Hospital, lie organised a system of hospitals and dispensaries. “His local friends in Basrah were countless in all classes, from tho ‘Ashraf’ to the poorest.” the Iraq ,Times adds. “On all questions of public interest his opinion and advice were sought as a matter of course. Throughout his 22 years of service in the Persian Gulf, he labored to promote the welfare of the civic community of Basrah, and his work was crowned with success. Ho died in harness near its completion.”