Tin of medical instruments used by Miss Elaine Hills-Young in Egypt 1930-1937
Production date
1930-1937
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Details
Description
Tin of medical instruments used by Miss Elaine Hills-Young in Egypt 1930-1937. Craven 'A' Virginia Cigarettes tin containing: Unidentified chrome 'probe', tweezers, syringe, scissors, small forceps, large sewing needle, Gillette razor blade in original packaging.
Note in tin: 'These instruments were the personal property of Miss Elaine Hills Young when she worked in the Sudan. She was Matron of Khartoum Hospital from 1930-1937, and then Principal of the Midwifery Training School in Omdurman and Supervisor of Midwives and Child Welfare organisations for the whole of the Sudan from 1939-1943. In the latter capacity, she travelled many hundreds of miles by train, jeep and camel on her tours of inspection to scattered villages visiting her native midwives. She felt she should be prepared for any emergency, and for this reason she collected the instrument set together. The set was only used on one occasion, I believe. In an outlying village, a distraught young husband pleaded for her help as he and his wife had been unable to consummate their recent marriage. In accordance with Sudanese custom, his wife had undergone the mutilating operation of ritual circumcision as a girl. In great trepidation, Miss Hills Young cut through the appropriate scar tissue, and hoped for the best! At least the surgery had been carried out under far more hygienic conditions than the original operation. The story had a happy ending - on Miss Hills Young's next tour of inspection to the village, she was delighted to be welcomed with the rewarding news of the safe arrival of a baby to the young couple'.
Note in tin: 'These instruments were the personal property of Miss Elaine Hills Young when she worked in the Sudan. She was Matron of Khartoum Hospital from 1930-1937, and then Principal of the Midwifery Training School in Omdurman and Supervisor of Midwives and Child Welfare organisations for the whole of the Sudan from 1939-1943. In the latter capacity, she travelled many hundreds of miles by train, jeep and camel on her tours of inspection to scattered villages visiting her native midwives. She felt she should be prepared for any emergency, and for this reason she collected the instrument set together. The set was only used on one occasion, I believe. In an outlying village, a distraught young husband pleaded for her help as he and his wife had been unable to consummate their recent marriage. In accordance with Sudanese custom, his wife had undergone the mutilating operation of ritual circumcision as a girl. In great trepidation, Miss Hills Young cut through the appropriate scar tissue, and hoped for the best! At least the surgery had been carried out under far more hygienic conditions than the original operation. The story had a happy ending - on Miss Hills Young's next tour of inspection to the village, she was delighted to be welcomed with the rewarding news of the safe arrival of a baby to the young couple'.
Collection Type
Objects
Catalogue Number
0465/3
Associated Person and Role
British Red Cross Society. Hertfordshire Branch
Subject Person and Role
Elaine Hills-Young
Associated Person
Subject Person
Object Types
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