Two Letters from India

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume VIII, Issue 2, 1 April 1915, Page 103

Two Letters from India

Dear Matron,— I have often thought of writing to you. just to let you know how I am getting along m this strange land ; but it is very difficult to get all the letters written by mail day, especially when all one's thinking powers are spent on a new language. I am away from my station on the mountains for a double purpose — to attend the Language School being held here, and to avoid the heat of the plains . Although Mahableshwar is 4,500 feet above sea-level it is scarcely cool enough for New Zealanders to feel comfortable at this time of the year, though later m the season it is quite fresh and fires are quite acceptable. This is a beautiful place surrounded by tree-covered hills, with the stern, rocky storm-beaten Ghauts m the distance. From some points they appear as a sea of mountains below one, and m one place the distance to the valley below is almost a mile m depth with a sheer precipice of 5,000 feet. Pandharpur , where I have been living since my arrival, is almost as flat as Christchurch with not even a hill within the range of vision, so this grandeur is greatly appreciated. Another point of difference is the verdure with which these hills are covered. Semi -famine conditions prevail at Pandharpur, and the districts round about, on account of the failure of the monsoons for the past three years. A lake near the town has completely dried up as also many wells m these districts, and the gardeners and farmers are at their wits end. The Government supplied them with grain for sowing last year, but owing to the lack of rain it did not grow. Everyone is anxiously awaiting the coming monsoon to know their fate. Pandharpur is the sacred city of this part of India. There is a population of about 28,000, but thousands of pilgrims are constantly coming and going. In February a large " jutra," or religious festival was held to which 80,000 pilgrims came. In April another large gathering was held, leaving Cholera m its train, and m July the greatest one of the year will be held. Hundreds of thousands usually come to this "jutra." An awful feeling ccmes over one when one sees men and women prostrating themselves before a hideous stone idol, and when

one sees a cow actually being worshipped' I saw a woman bow to a cow which was wandering through, the street, touching her forehead with its tail. All the gods reside m the cow, it is said, hence the worship. Needless to say beef is not on the market m this stronghold of Hinduism. Instead there is an asylum for aged and infirm animals. Our Mission has a medical work at this station, and although we have not a hospital yet, a large work is being done. Dr. Ambrose and her sister who is a trained nurse carry on the dispensary work. Last year 3,338 new patients attended making a total of 10,961 visits. The patients, except for a very few, were all women and children, and chest complaints and eye diseases were especially prevalent . The women are so little cared for, and they become mothers so young that they cannot know how to care for their children. They often give them opium to keep them from crying, and the little mites waste almost to a shadow, and when they take a chill through wearing nature's dress only, they have absolutely no power to resist an attack of pneumonia, which has been very prevalent this year. A hospital is badly needed, but at present the water supply is not enough to warrant the building, and we will have to wait for nature to supply the need. One poor woman needing an operation' was directed to Poona, 140 miles away. She begged her way and travelled on foot till she reached the place, and when she got there was so overawed at the sight of the building that she ran away from it. At last she summoned up enough courage, was admitted and successfully treated. Then as she described it m her own language, she walked "gently, gently" back to Pandharpur, and reported herself to the Doctor who sent her. When I have sufficient knowledge of the language I expect to commence work at the dispensary. But it is slow work learning, as Marathi is considered one of the most difficult of the Indian languages. I am glad to say that I am keeping well, and have not quite dissolved with the heat ; but if I do not begin work (practical) soon I shall soon become as slow as the Indians, and they are proverbial. I think I must stop writing now. lam afraid to ask about any of the nurses as

there are probably very few left of those I knew. Trusting you are keeping well and not feeling quite like an iceberg. I remain, Yours sincerely, Cecilia A. Savage Address C/o P. and I.V. Mission, Pandharpur, Bombay Presidency, India.

Nurse Isobel Milne also writes from Zagadhri, Punjab : " For 9 months after my arrival m India, the time was spent almost entirely m language study and the examination came m the first week of October. Immediately it was over I returned to Jagadhri, from the Himalayas, where I had spent three months, and commenced work m our new Hospital here. There was a good deal to be done before the official opening took place, m November. The ceremony was performed by the Commissioner of Amballa District, the Deputy Commissioner, and a few other Officials, some neighbouring Missionaries, and a large number of leading Indians were present. The latter gentlemen were resplendent m their Durban apparel — brocaded satin coats of delicate shades, trimmed with gold. Owing to lack of funds only a portion of the proposed building is m existence, and we long for the rest of the Hospital.

We have accommodation for only twenty m" patients ; but the out-patients number any thing from 70 to 100 daily. The doctors do a good number of cataract and other eye operations, and it is really amazing what success they have, considering there is no previous preparation. These people have a lot to learn, and unless the operation is done immediately we lose them altogether, for they will not consent to remaining m Hospital a day or two previously. There is a great deal of plague prevalent m Jagadhri, and unfortunately it is of the pneumonic type. Before eleven o'clock yesterday, seven deaths had occured m the course of the forenoon. Government commenced smoking out the drains, etc., but the Hindus objected to such destruction of life m the form of rats, and the precautionary measures had to be stopped . Strange that they have such respect for the life of the lower animals, and yet appear unconcerned where human life is at stake. Even when they know a patient has plague, m many cases, the room is filled by relatives, who sit there by the hour. One patient, whom the doctor was visiting, was making fairly good progress, but, alas ! these relatives would not allow the man to sleep, fearing he should slip away without wakening" again, and the poor man eventually died of exhaustion. I have hitherto been boarding with one or other of the two doctors, but one, goes on furlough m a few weeks, and I shall then start housekeeping on my own m their bungalow.