Experiences in India

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XI, Issue 1, 1 January 1918, Page 33

Experiences in India

S. Beckingsale

To the Editor. — T have been asked to write and tell you something of my experiences m India. The difficulty is to know where to begin, and from which point of view to describe one's life among the people of that interesting land. My work is amongst the Hindu and Mohammedan women — mostly of the lower classes, living m villages. They are ignorant, superstitious, and prejudiced against everything that has not been handed down to them from their forefathers. They are kept within the women's part of the house, and their outlook both physical and mental is very narrow and limited. At the age of ten they are regarded as too old to be seen m public. Marriage takes place then, or even younger, and after their marriage they are kept still more strictly behind the purdah. 1 1 is thought disgraceful to have an unmarried daughter of twelve years of age m the house, and our unmarried condition excites great curiosity and wonder wherever we go . They are sure there must be something very seriously wrong, that our mothers have not been able to arrange our marriages for us, and they think that we have been sent away from home to hide our shame m a foreign country ! ! Owing to the purdah system which makes it a disgrace, if not a sin, for a woman to be seen by any man who is not related to her, there is a great need for women doctors. Many women choose to die rather than be seen by a male doctor, and I have known a man divorce his wife because, during his absence, when she was dangerously ill. her parents called m a doctor to perform an urgent operation m order to save her life. As there are only men doctors m our district — all of them natives and many of them quacks— there is a great deal of needless suffering amongst the women, and I do what I can to alleviate it. I have quite a good little dispensary where women are brought to me, or their relatives come for medicine for them, after I have been taken to see them. Many of the cases are simple enough — fever, indigestion, skin diseases, rheumatism, etc. Of course there are often unnecessary complications caused by neglect, dirt and wrongtreatment. It is not uncommon to see a patient with a peg of wood driven into the

flesh of the leg, so creating a discharging sore. This is to let out the evil spirit and so cure the disease. Sometimes the patient is cauterized over some part of the abdomen, the liver or the spleen — to cure fever or diarrhoea. Charms made of strands of hair to which are attached garlic or shells, are tied to the limbs to cure abscesses and burns, and to keep off the evil eye. Every baby has a bunch of charms hanging round its neck. They are little copper, silver, tin, or bamboo hollow tubes, m which small rolls of paper, with some name or attribute of one of the gods, or some couplet written on it , are sealed . In other cases pieces of sacred wood or grass, or flowers from some shrine, are tied m the hair or on the limbs ; or water m which an idol has been bathed, or m which a Brahmin priest has washed his feet, is drunk by the patient . The evil eye is greatly feared, and is supposed to be the cause of many ills and pains. When a wound or sore is uncovered, someone must spit on it, to keep away the evil eye. Evil spirits are blamed for hysteria and all kinds of fits and convulsions. In maternity work many and barbarous are the customs that I meet with. The patient lies on the floor m a filthy state — all vessels, garments, rags, and bedding used are of the oldest and filthiest, as they will have to be destroyed afterwards ; the patient and everything that touches her being regarded as unclean. This also applies to every person who touches her ; consequently no one is willing to help because of the ceremonial bathing that must follow before they can mix with other people again, or go into any other room of the house, or touch any vessel. Because of this custom a little hut is built for the occasion, just big enough for the patient to lie down m, and aften not high enough for anyone to stand upright m. In this she has to stay a month, suffocated with heat m summer, lying on the damp sodden ground m the rainy season, or perished with cold m the winter. One cannot apply forceps or use other instruments, as I often have to do, with a patient lying on the ground m these close quarters, and I have hard work to get conveniences or common decencies. Sometimes I have to take a door off its hinges and balance it on anything I can get

to make a bed or operating table. Sometimes I have to lash two forms together, or even use a piece of galvanised iron. Crowds gather to watch the proceedings . There is no window, and I must have light. If 1 shut the door we must work m darkness, and that is impossible. So one has to get used to more or less publicity, and not consider oneself or one's own feelings. One is only thankful if one can do anything to

relieve the suffering women and make their hard lot a little more bearable. My only regret is that I am only a nurse, and so, though I have to do many things that it i* not usual for a nurse to do. there are also many things which 1 have to leave undone, as quite beyond my skill. With all' good wishes for the New Year. Yours very sincerely,