Surgery and Healing in the Developing World - Dartmouth-Hitchcock

To My Son, the Urologist
Figure 2. Surgeon’s face mask doubles as a scrotal supporter.
inject a foreign religion.’ The early single female missionaries were considered
either lesbians or concubines, both designations, of course, highly repugnant to a
Muslim’s strict code of ethical behavior. A convert to Christianity pays a high cost
... rejection by family, ostracism by society, failure in business, and in some cases
torture and even martyrdom. As a result there likely exists a sizable number of
‘secret’ Christians. Hmmmm ... not much different in the West, is it?
6/19: A running tab is part of the patient record. i.e., Is the patient/family
paying or not? Saw a young male with malaria, worms, typhoid AND severe
protein-calorie malnutrition! But what is his ‘chief complaint?’ Typhoid, not syphilis
or AIDS, is the great mimic ... cerebral, abdominal and joint manifestations.
Rickets is common, yet the government does not permit vitamin D and/or calcium
preparations into the country for fear that foreigners would ‘dump’ inferior,
useless and possibly dangerous drugs upon the populace. (Opium and marijuana
can be purchased by anyone at virtually any shop in the villages surrounding our
compound.)
The hospital’s powerful contribution in the area permits remarkably aggressive
and creative evangelism ... church planting, Bible schooling, translation work,
hospital chaplaincy. Heart House provides accommodation and training for widows
and handicapped men, truly the down and out in this society. Religious videotapes
are shown daily on the wards, but since open broadcast would be considered
indiscreet, and even rude, patients must request a ‘pillow speaker’ for private
listening. Career missionaries say that more people are converted through the
hospital’s outreach than through all other evangelistic efforts combined. Around
the world we see the disappearance of the career missionary physician and closure
of mission hospitals. Because the future of expatriate missions in Bangladesh is
uncertain at best, vigorous efforts are made to indigenize local congregations with
the mission acting as partner, no longer as paternal benefactor.
6/22: I move into the full swing of hospital activities, including primary night
call and the onslaught of exotic diseases in the outpatient department. Though
there certainly is plenty of urologic pathology in the cachement area of 12 million,
I do whatever needs to be done. Of course, the career staff and Bengali workers,
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