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THE MISSION HOSPITAL 59
these distant stations, the doctor or nurse, or
both, break down, it may fall to Marsovan to fill
the gap or see a hospital closed. At the time of my
visit the second American doctor was away on some
such duty, and the native doctor had been called to
the army. Under the familiar pressure of necessity,
the hospital is glad to make use of any one who can
help. In me, therefore, as a man known to have seen
blood and unlikely to faint, they recognised one day
a promising emergency ansesthetist. A native doctor
of the town had been requisitioned, but suddenly
found himself unable to attend. Operations which
could not be put off had to be done, so it was proposed
to instruct me quickly that I might fill his
place. Fortunately, however, he came after all, and
my usefulness was never tested.
The medical mission service requires the complete
missionary spirit of sacrifice in addition to professional
skill. Remuneration is merely a living wage, proportioned
to the low cost of living, and is the same that
all appointed missionaries receive. The president of
a college, the doctor, and youngest missionary all
draw alike. A mission doctor makes fees as well
sometimes a considerable income—but these he turns
over to his hospital ; for not only does he provide the
professional skill, he also helps to support the hospital
by his earnings, and even contributes to the building
of a new hospital when that is possible. His work is
recompense of
a labour of love, with the professional
finding in it unbounded opportunity for exercising his
skill. He has a free hand, and is above cavil, criticism,
or advice. Subject only to professional etiquette
and his conscience, a mission surgeon performs any
operation he thinks fit, and attains a sureness of skill
like few. Five or six major operations a day often
fall to the American surgeon at Marsovan. The limits
set to operations not seldom are the beds available
and the operator's strength — drawn upon heavily
besides by duties in his clinics and the hospital.
The hospital itself—the old hospital, for they are