The Child in the Midst: A Comparative Study of Child Welfare in Christian and Non-Christian LandsPlatt, Mary Schauffler
Religion
The Child in the Midst: A Comparative Study of Child Welfare in Christian and Non-Christian Lands
Platt, Mary Schauffler
Church work with children; Missions
One subject, upon which Dr. Devine has not touched in his list given
above, is the necessity for the protection of well children from
contagious diseases, and of skilful, tender care of the sick. We might
easily fill a chapter with the study of so-called “medical practice”
as conducted in non-Christian lands,--a practice composed largely of
mingled superstition, ignorance, cruelty, and avarice--but a few pages
on the subject in addition to our earlier study of what takes place at
the time of childbirth will suffice, we trust, to make earnest
Christian women desire to study it further. It is easy to shrink from
contemplating the sufferings of innocent children, and many a woman is
tempted to say, “I am too sensitive, I cannot hear about such things.”
But are we more sensitive than the little, shrinking, pitiful children
to whom these things happen daily? Therefore, not to encourage morbid
curiosity, but in order that as Christian mothers and sisters we may
lift the burden from little shoulders unable to bear it, let us
fearlessly face the facts as they are.
[Sidenote: Contagious diseases.]
The frightful ravages made by smallpox, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and
even the milder “children’s diseases,” such as measles and
whooping-cough, often devastate whole towns and carry away the larger
part of the children in a community. Smallpox, for instance, is so
common in Korea that it is not considered worth while to try to escape
it. It is caused by the visit of a very great and honored spirit, and
while he remains the children are addressed in high sounding terms in
honor of their great guest. When he is about ready to return to the
south land, _i.e._, when the child has nearly recovered, a feast is
made in honor of the visitor and he is provided with a wooden horse
for his journey.
On an itinerating journey in Korea Dr. and Mrs. Underwood with their
little boy stopped at a village called Pak Chun and had a rather
disturbing experience.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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