Save as many souls as you can--"preach the
gospel to _every creature;_" heal as many bodies as you can; but, since
the world's resources are narrow, consider carefully which bodies are
to have your first consideration.
Years ago I had no conception of the amount of positive suffering which
the fishermen endure. I was once on board a merchant steamer during a
few months, and I was installed as surgeon-in-chief. We had a few cases
which were pretty tiresome in their way, but then the utmost work our
men had to do was the trifle of pulling and hauling when the try-sails
were put on her, and the usual scraping and scrubbing and painting which
goes on about all iron ships. But the smacksman runs the risk of a hurt
of some kind in every minute of his waking life. He must work with his
oilskins on when rain or spray is coming aboard, and his oilskins fray
the skin when the edges wear a little; then the salt water gets into the
sore and makes a nasty ulcer, which eats its way up until you may see
men who dare not work at the trawl without having their sleeves doubled
to the elbow. Then there are the salt water cracks which cut their way
right to the bone. These, and toothache, the fisherman's great enemy,
are the ailments which may be cured or relieved by the skippers of the
Mission smacks. In a single year nearly eight thousand cases have been
treated in the floating dispensaries, and I may say that I never saw a
malingerer come on board.
Pages:
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199