Page 372 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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from Customs duty, and the price of mutton was controlled
so that the poor could afford to buy it.

(d) MEDICAL*
(i) Activity in the Agency Charitable Dispensary
was resumed on the arrival of Assistant surgeon C.E.Hynes,
and an average of 200 new cases and 350 recurring cases
a month have been treated.
(ii) The Kuwait Government medical establishment
has been increased by the appointment of a doctor in
charge of the schools. At the beginning of the year their
work was to some extent handicapped by shortage of medical
supplies — largely due to lack of foresight — but
adequate orders have since been placed in England.
(iii) Dr. Gerald Nykerk and Dr. Miss Ruth 0. Crouse,
in charge of the men's and women's hospitals at the
American Mission, have continued to fill a very real need
in the lives of the people of Kuwait. No less than
47,978 cases were treated in the Out-Patient Dispensary
during the year ana 312 major operations and a similar
number of minor operations were carried out in the men's
hospital alone. The retirement of Dr.Hiss Crouse early
next year and the impossibility of replacing her until
after the war will unfortunately lead to a temporary
curtailment, although not a cessation, of the Mission's
activities in the treatment of women. The Mission also
consider their present facilities for the treatment of
male patients as quite inadequate, and plans are well
advanced for rebuilding the men's hospital as soon as
materials are available.
(e) (1) POST AMD TELEGRAPHS.

The Indian Postal administration continued to
run the Post Office throughout the year. The land
telegraph line to 2asrah was put in order and opened to
traffic on the 1st March, and the public have made
c.onsiderable use of the facilities offered.
(2) Messrs. Cable and './ireless have continued to
operate their wireless telegraph station efficiently, and
are also responsible for the excellent internal telephone
system..
(f) EDUCATION.
All Baikal held the post of Director of Education
upto the. 16th November when he was relieved by Sadiq Hamdi
a new Director engaged in Egypt. The scope of the
Education Department's activities has increased
considerably and Shaikh Abdullah Jabir, Head of the
Department, and the new Director are now in charge of 12 i
boys* schools v/ith 1315 pupils and 2 girls' schools with
285 pupils. They are assisted by 64 male teachers, of whom
12 are Egyptians, and 15 female teachers including 11
foreigners. In addition, 21 boys from Kuwait are studying
in colleges or secondary schools in Egypt and Syria.
Mr.?.!, ’/akelin of British Council continued to advise
Shaikh Abdullah labir and his committee throughout the
year, and to assist them in numerous ways — particularly
in matters of staff and equipment.
(g) THE PILGRIMAGE.

0\ying to the Saudi Arabian Government's refusal !
— at the Instance of the Minister Resident as a measure of
economy/