Crime In The Solomons

A resident of the B.S.I. writes; There has been much discussion lately, through your pages and otherwise, of the reason for the unusual number of assault cases in the Solomons. I can suggest one reason in the Medical Department of Tu lagi.

My daughter, aged 16 years, was visit ing friends in Tulagi, and developed a boil above the knee. She was accom panied by her host and hostess as far as the hospital and left there in the hands of a medical officer, for advice and atten tion. He took her into the dispensary, asked her to sit down, examined the boil, asked her to wait, and left her. Pre

sently a full-grown native male attend ant appeared alone, with basin and dress ings, and proceeded to attend to the wound.

My daughter was too astounded and frightened to protest; at the same time, she expected the M.O. to return at any minute. However, he did not appear, and after the dressing was finished, she left the dispensary to find that, to all appearances, she was entirely alone in the small building, though other Euro peans may have been in the vicinity.

With two nurses and a resident, as well as a travelling, doctor on the staff, it is surprising that natives should be al lowed to attend to European ladies in this manner.