This one is colourful, from 1934:
"Father Medard himself has got some Medical Training when servicing as a Sanitary Solider in the Swiss Army during the war. He got a Hospital Training in the town of Bale [Basel]. Moreover the said Fatehr took over the care of the Kibata Leper Camp after the death fo the late Father Werner Huber. He made all the injections himself against Leprosy, Yaws and syphilis and it was never heard that he made any mistakes in the treatment of his people."
Who signed? Father Medard himself.
By the way, and I do not claim this to be representative of the services offered in general, this is what a local Government representative mailed togehther with a copy of Medard's letter to a colleague of his:
"May I suggest that you inform him all patients must be treated irrespective of their religion."
It remains unclear what hase prompted this official to make this comment. In general, i am assured, and have not found much evidence differing from this, that patients in fact were medically treated irrespective of their religion.
Donnerstag, 5. Februar 2009
Document of the day
Here's something on the question of colonial and mission medical co-operation, from the point of view of colonial medical adminstration, 1938. Nota bene, missions trained a lot of African staff, and colonial Government trained 'tribal dressers' but not medical doctors, or professional nurses.
"Coopertion between medical missions and native administration is in a different category. There is no doubt that missions, if subsidiezd by native administation, could produce, so far as immediate results are concerned, a better medical organization than existes in many places at present. .. In this connexion, however, it must be borne in mind that the function of the tribal medical organisation is not merely to treat and control diseases as they arise but that it is the embryo from which a tribal medical service with responsibilities of its own should develop."
"Coopertion between medical missions and native administration is in a different category. There is no doubt that missions, if subsidiezd by native administation, could produce, so far as immediate results are concerned, a better medical organization than existes in many places at present. .. In this connexion, however, it must be borne in mind that the function of the tribal medical organisation is not merely to treat and control diseases as they arise but that it is the embryo from which a tribal medical service with responsibilities of its own should develop."
Mittwoch, 4. Februar 2009
Dr. W. Müller, Mission Doctor in Ifakara, 1951-1952
Doctor Müller has not yet featured prominently in my sources on the history of Ifakara's St. Francis Hospital. Today I have found at least some documents telling me, that he was there. It seems he was expected in May 1951, (I have proof of his actual work in October the same year) and he probably has left services again in September 1952.
Many thanks here also to Father Meinhard Inauen, who told me, who might know more about Dr. Müller.
Doktor W. Müller war lange mehr Mysterium denn Person mit einer Stimme. Auch wenn ich noch kein Dokument gefunden habe, das seine Unterschrift trägt, immerhin zeigt sich nun, dass Bischof Edgar Maranta, schon mit ihm als Missionsarzt einen Neubau des Spitals in Ifakara anvisierte.
Here is an extract from the archives:
>"As regards our medical unit in Ifakara I wish to point out that in 1951, when Dr. Mueller arrived, we had the firm intention of building up this place into a medical centre which would comply with regulations and be of a real servie to the district around Ifakara. It became, however, soon apparent that Dr. Mueller would not stay and the plan was therefore abandoned, much to our regret. During next May another doctor, Dr. K. Schoepf, is expected to arrive and will be posted to Ifakara." (Maranta to Director of Medical Services, 28.04.1953).
It might also be important to say, that the Capuchin's were the only Mission that was refused Government grants-in-aid in 1953 due to the lack of services and the location of their services.
Kein Wunder, ein Neustart in Ifakara war 1953 wirklich nötig.
Many thanks here also to Father Meinhard Inauen, who told me, who might know more about Dr. Müller.
Doktor W. Müller war lange mehr Mysterium denn Person mit einer Stimme. Auch wenn ich noch kein Dokument gefunden habe, das seine Unterschrift trägt, immerhin zeigt sich nun, dass Bischof Edgar Maranta, schon mit ihm als Missionsarzt einen Neubau des Spitals in Ifakara anvisierte.
Here is an extract from the archives:
>"As regards our medical unit in Ifakara I wish to point out that in 1951, when Dr. Mueller arrived, we had the firm intention of building up this place into a medical centre which would comply with regulations and be of a real servie to the district around Ifakara. It became, however, soon apparent that Dr. Mueller would not stay and the plan was therefore abandoned, much to our regret. During next May another doctor, Dr. K. Schoepf, is expected to arrive and will be posted to Ifakara." (Maranta to Director of Medical Services, 28.04.1953).
It might also be important to say, that the Capuchin's were the only Mission that was refused Government grants-in-aid in 1953 due to the lack of services and the location of their services.
Kein Wunder, ein Neustart in Ifakara war 1953 wirklich nötig.
Documents of the day
> Are you interested in a nursing career? Think about it:
(from Tanganyika Territory Medical Dept. Circular No. 41/1951 re Nursing Training for [African] Girls, 1951)
"Nursing is one of the most satisfying careers for girls. The training which is given, in the prevention of sickness, by the promotion of personal and domestic hygiene, the welfare of children, and the care of the sick, is of great value througout a woman's whole life. Whether she devotes her time entriely to the care of her family or continues in general nursing work, she should be a powerful influence among her neighbours with her knowledge of healthy living and the care of children and so can do a very great deal to lessen the burden of ill-health on the community in which she lives."
>And here comes a straightforward answer:
(from a discussion in legislative council, 1937, Question by R.M.Gibbons, reply from the law specialists of the Territory through the Director of Medical Services):
Q6: Can a Native Dresser or a Native Dispenser perform a professional action on an individual without the consent of that individual?
Reply: No, Sir."
(from Tanganyika Territory Medical Dept. Circular No. 41/1951 re Nursing Training for [African] Girls, 1951)
"Nursing is one of the most satisfying careers for girls. The training which is given, in the prevention of sickness, by the promotion of personal and domestic hygiene, the welfare of children, and the care of the sick, is of great value througout a woman's whole life. Whether she devotes her time entriely to the care of her family or continues in general nursing work, she should be a powerful influence among her neighbours with her knowledge of healthy living and the care of children and so can do a very great deal to lessen the burden of ill-health on the community in which she lives."
>And here comes a straightforward answer:
(from a discussion in legislative council, 1937, Question by R.M.Gibbons, reply from the law specialists of the Territory through the Director of Medical Services):
Q6: Can a Native Dresser or a Native Dispenser perform a professional action on an individual without the consent of that individual?
Reply: No, Sir."
Montag, 2. Februar 2009
Document of the day
For today I have a document for you, from a file I used before in this section. Since there was no electricity today, I could not get new files from the depots, so you will have to live with this extract of "A speach made by Biharamulo African at H.E.'s Coffee Party on 16.02.1950. His Excellency is the then Governour of Tanganiyka Territory, and he is adressed by, do you want to call them: stakeholders?:
"We hope that he will do a great deal during his stay with us in this Territory to develop it in education, social services and agriculture particularly on the side of African communities who are in great meed of such developments. ...most Africans are crying for education - Mass Education - and to sum it up here we are hungry for Higher Education.. Secondly, our land is ... infested with tsetse fly and we need it to be reclaimed in order to get rid of tsetse fly so that we may get a good land for settlement. Thirdly, we require badly several properly placed Maternity Hospitals with qualified Mid-Wives. Lastly, but not least, we erarnestly beg His Excellency to provide this lonely and remote station with a Social Welfare Centre which would release the intolerable conditions which at present are being experienced by the people who live in this minor Settlement. Also a library attached th this Welfare Centre ..."
"We hope that he will do a great deal during his stay with us in this Territory to develop it in education, social services and agriculture particularly on the side of African communities who are in great meed of such developments. ...most Africans are crying for education - Mass Education - and to sum it up here we are hungry for Higher Education.. Secondly, our land is ... infested with tsetse fly and we need it to be reclaimed in order to get rid of tsetse fly so that we may get a good land for settlement. Thirdly, we require badly several properly placed Maternity Hospitals with qualified Mid-Wives. Lastly, but not least, we erarnestly beg His Excellency to provide this lonely and remote station with a Social Welfare Centre which would release the intolerable conditions which at present are being experienced by the people who live in this minor Settlement. Also a library attached th this Welfare Centre ..."
Freitag, 30. Januar 2009
Kompetenzzentrum Afrikastudien
The University of Basel has informed today that the Centre of Competence, African Studies is about to be started next month. The centre will form a nucleus for knowledge and research on Africa.
For more information (in german) click the titel of this text.
Für Informationen klicken Sie den Titel dieser Nachricht.
For more information (in german) click the titel of this text.
Für Informationen klicken Sie den Titel dieser Nachricht.
Document of the day
The document of the day is from a dossier that has been consulted by a an interesting list of researchers, Denise Roth Allen, Walter Bruchhausen, Stacey Langwick or Matthew Bender amongst them. The dossier adresses the training of African women as midwives. The discussions in colonial health services testify to the idea, that intervening in birth practices shall serve as a 'modernizing' instrument . This is what an official wrote in 1950: "Such girls [25 year olds] may not in fact be of much value as midwives, but they will form a nucleaus and a base from which the old tribal conservatism may gradually vanish, giving way to a future service of young midwives."
Global Histories of Development
This is still warm from the oven: a report on the Conference "Global Histories of Development" organised by Daniel Speich and Hubertus Büschel in Zürich last October has been published minutes ago. Click title of this message to be redirected.
Donnerstag, 29. Januar 2009
Sofi and Mahenge
The two most interesting stories I retrieved in the archives yesterday and today are these. You can be sure to find me do more research on these:
Sofi: This place was in the 1940's the subject of a resettlement programme of the colonial government. To secure the health of the population, and to allow for access to health services, and other social services, the local colonial administration resettled 2/3 of the population. The mission objected and it seems, not without support from the Sofi poele. Reading the sources, there is an echo of villagization programmes in independent Tanzania (Operation Vijiji).
Mahenge: This government hospital has in 1939 been handed over to the Swiss Capuchin Mission. The Tanzanian National Archives have the documents that tell the government side of this story. The Archive of the Swiss Province of the Capuchins, in Luzern, tells part of the story from that side, and at least partially from the side of the Gabathulers, the two mission doctors who were to be working in Mahenge . Now, I still lack the story from the side of the Diocese of Dar es Salaam. It is certainly a nice example for the interest of both government and mission for co-operation.
Sofi: This place was in the 1940's the subject of a resettlement programme of the colonial government. To secure the health of the population, and to allow for access to health services, and other social services, the local colonial administration resettled 2/3 of the population. The mission objected and it seems, not without support from the Sofi poele. Reading the sources, there is an echo of villagization programmes in independent Tanzania (Operation Vijiji).
Mahenge: This government hospital has in 1939 been handed over to the Swiss Capuchin Mission. The Tanzanian National Archives have the documents that tell the government side of this story. The Archive of the Swiss Province of the Capuchins, in Luzern, tells part of the story from that side, and at least partially from the side of the Gabathulers, the two mission doctors who were to be working in Mahenge . Now, I still lack the story from the side of the Diocese of Dar es Salaam. It is certainly a nice example for the interest of both government and mission for co-operation.
schönes und stinkendes
Als alter Luftreinhalter vom Dienst geht mir das hier leider voll auf den Sack: die Menge an Abgasen pro Müllverbrennungsaktion und pro Autofahrt hier, ist wirklich fast nicht zu ertragen. Mein Mitgefühl gilt allen, die täglich nicht nur eine Stunden im Stau stecken - sondern am Strassenrand noch gar etwas an die StausteherInnen verkaufen wollen.
Damit aber genug der Reklamationen. Meine Recherchen hier gehen nämlich prächtig voran. Tolle Unterlagen aus dem Archiv der Kapuzinerprovinz wechseln sich mit Funden im Nationalarchiv ab.
zu den inhalten mehr im nächsten Artikel.
Und wenn man mal die Strasse ein wenig hinter sich gelassen hat - und wie ich - ein Bier am Strand sich leisten kann, dem könnte es nicht wirklich besser gehen.
Damit aber genug der Reklamationen. Meine Recherchen hier gehen nämlich prächtig voran. Tolle Unterlagen aus dem Archiv der Kapuzinerprovinz wechseln sich mit Funden im Nationalarchiv ab.
zu den inhalten mehr im nächsten Artikel.
Und wenn man mal die Strasse ein wenig hinter sich gelassen hat - und wie ich - ein Bier am Strand sich leisten kann, dem könnte es nicht wirklich besser gehen.
Montag, 26. Januar 2009
Samstag, 24. Januar 2009
Freitag, 23. Januar 2009
cleared by COSTECH
I do support the COSTECH research clearance idea: As a researcher you have to submit a research proposal for scrutiny by the Tanzanian scientific community and COSTECH. In my case, and I suppose this is general practice, a quarterly progress report to COSTECH shall make sure that I do not just run away with my research data/results, turning the Tanzanian field into a pure research laboratory.
Now, I am glad to see that my research project is cleared by COSTECH. Thanks to those who supported this process, Yusufu Lawi of UDSM's Department of History and Mr. Mashuhuri at COSTECH.
Now, I am glad to see that my research project is cleared by COSTECH. Thanks to those who supported this process, Yusufu Lawi of UDSM's Department of History and Mr. Mashuhuri at COSTECH.
really
So, as a matter fo fact, I was interrupted yesterday night by the end of generator's working hours. Otherwise I would have reported yesterday on what the day had wielded. I have witnessed the beefed-up security at UDSM. As I understood, students seem to be divided over the question whether they want to return to the University courses, despite their protests against the fee-scheme not having resulted in the abolishment of fees. Yesterday's Citizen reported of one staff member who seems to be in support of the student bodies who oppose the current fee(subsidizing) structure. Staff, I hear, is also on principle opposed to security forces on the campus. But many students have now reported back to the university to resume teaching. Needless tho say, that universities are important institutions and I would wish that also poor countries, like Tanzania, can have a strong environment for university teaching.
Myself I have not yet contributed much to that. I hope, to do some of this as from today, when - hopefully in posession of my research clearance papers - can do research.
Ah, yes, the evening I spent speaking to doctor Leena Pasanen, from Ilembula Lutheran hospital. Very interesting to see a comparative experience to St. Francis in Ifakara. Very interesting also to see this very dedicated church/mission doctor of today. Her publications, seem to be quite well known (I have not checked this yet).
p.s.: Leena Pasanen on who page:
http://www.who.int/world-health-day/previous/2006/doctors/fin/en/index.html
Greetings from Dar es Salaam, m
Myself I have not yet contributed much to that. I hope, to do some of this as from today, when - hopefully in posession of my research clearance papers - can do research.
Ah, yes, the evening I spent speaking to doctor Leena Pasanen, from Ilembula Lutheran hospital. Very interesting to see a comparative experience to St. Francis in Ifakara. Very interesting also to see this very dedicated church/mission doctor of today. Her publications, seem to be quite well known (I have not checked this yet).
p.s.: Leena Pasanen on who page:
http://www.who.int/world-health-day/previous/2006/doctors/fin/en/index.html
Greetings from Dar es Salaam, m
Donnerstag, 22. Januar 2009
Dar es Salaam I
This is the time to be more active in the blog. Here it comes:
I write while there is no electricity, only to those, like me, happy enough to be at a place where the power generator, driven by dieselpower, produces noise and electricity in abundance. So things run smoothly, if you are lucky, and can afford.
This research stay will hopefully lead me to a lot of knowledge on the history of health and healthservices in Tanzania. However, I want to write about other things as well. As the power can go off any minute - i suspect the generator does not run for my blogging but to assure cools sleeping conditions for other guests (their aircon struggling with the generator for the noisiest machine in the block), please be not surprised if this message suddenly ...
I write while there is no electricity, only to those, like me, happy enough to be at a place where the power generator, driven by dieselpower, produces noise and electricity in abundance. So things run smoothly, if you are lucky, and can afford.
This research stay will hopefully lead me to a lot of knowledge on the history of health and healthservices in Tanzania. However, I want to write about other things as well. As the power can go off any minute - i suspect the generator does not run for my blogging but to assure cools sleeping conditions for other guests (their aircon struggling with the generator for the noisiest machine in the block), please be not surprised if this message suddenly ...
Abonnieren
Posts (Atom)