LIFE OF NATIVE SAVED

Southland Times, Issue 24445, 27 May 1941, Page 4

LIFE OF NATIVE SAVED

Courageous Operation By Mission Sister

The story of a major operation performed urgently in the absence of a qualified doctor by Sister Field, of the Melanesian Mission in the Solomon Islands, is told in a letter which has been received in Invercargill. Sister Field is well known in Southland. Some years ago the people of the province responded to an appeal to raise funds for the building of a wooden house for the sisters of the mission on the island of Ugi. The house was built and now bears the name of Southland House. Some years ago Sister Field saved the life of an Ugi woman by amputating her leg. On this latest occasion she was faced with the task of undertaking a major abdominal operation on a native lad who had been a student at the mission school. The lad was brought to hospital with severe abdominal pains, and it was immediately apparent that his condition required urgent surgical treatment.

The patient was taken to San Cristoval, another island in the group, but the native doctor stationed there was away for several days. Sister Field was faced with a grave decision and she decided to operate. The patient showed touching faith in the sister, even though he was warned that the operation might not save his life. A white resident on another island was initiated into the work of administering the anaesthetic and did very well. Four native boys also helped and Sister Field proceeded with the operation, which took, about three hours and was completely successful. The senior surgeon at the nearest Government hospital later said that if Sister Field had not had the courage to perform the operation the native would have surelydied.