Exit of Dr Campbell who spent 15 years (since 1924) eradicating Yaws
Published on: Tuesday, February 16, 1932
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The Chinese shops stock but few goods that are not of foreign manufacture, with the result, for instance, that the dutiful mother, who goes to buy wool or other material to make clothes for her child has to lie content with stuff that emanates from central Europe.
Similarly the “ boy” who is sent to replace a cup or glass that he declares has come apart in his hand or has been broken by that particularly sure-footed animal, the domestic cat, invariably returns with something marked “Made in Czecho-slovakia.”
We admit that we are too out of the way and perhaps too small a country to justify a special trade mission or even a visit from a ship such as the British Exhibitor.
But we often feel that some of the money and trouble expended at home in organising mass meetings, merely for a British audience to record a natural resolution to buy British goods in a British town, could be more effectively employed instead in propaganda and salesmanship in the smaller colonies.
The trade of one small colony may in itself be but a small consideration, but the trade of all the small colonies would surely be worth securing.
Even those of us who prefer to purchase stores from one of the big Singapore firms are, as often as not, usable to tell front the catalogue whether we are buying British-made goods or not, since in many cases the name of the manufacturer conveys nothing to us. We would like to suggest that some distinguishing mark be added in such catalogues to those goods that have been manufactured in the Empire.
It is unreasonable to export people to Buy British unless you Advertise British first and give some idea as to what are and what are not British made articles.
The weather at sea continues from all accounts to be as bad as it has ever been at this time of year.
Recent, visitors to the East Coast report an entire lack of desire for any meals between Sandakan and Tambisan, and the Klias was recently storm-bound for about a day in the Philippines.
Even the larger vessels have not by any means had a comfortable time on their voyages round the coast: even the Captains and Officers adroit this, so it must really have been pretty grim.
The Kowa Maru, a Japanese steamer which was expected here for a cargo of’ timber, has made an involuntary visit to a reef somewhere not far from Kudat.
Owing to the exposed nature of her position, it is at the time of writing still uncertain whether she will make it her permanent home or not.
The Kowa Mara is (or was) a steamer of 5689 gross tonnage, owned by the Nausei Kisen Goshi Kaisha. She was built by C. Connell & Co. at Glasgow, in 1900, as the Rajput, and was renamed Yunkai Maru on her transfer to Japanese registry, before assuming her present name.
KUDAT NOTES. (January)
Kudat has actually enjoyed ionic fine weather this month, but since no one have ever been known to praise the weather entirely, we hasten to add that there have been some very high winds.
We are glad to say that the proposed retirement of O. K. K. Haji has been indefinitely postponed. The Haji still has plenty of kick left in him, and his retirement would have been a definite loss to the D. O.
The Cadet left on the 19th for Sipitang, followed by 2 dogs, 1 cat, 2 kalawats and a tame Punai. He hopes Sipitang will appreciate the Zoo. On the 15th the Protector, Mr. C. D. Martyn, passed through on S.S. Kajang, en route for Sandakan.
Re paragraph on Weather above, a distracted D. O. has just informed us that perhaps we have forgotten the carrying away of Agong-agong bridge?
We hadn’t, but as the disaster to the bridge was the result of 2 or 3 days really heavy rain, in about 15 days of fairly fine weather, therefore we uphold that the above statement is true, Q. E. D., was it not?
SIPITANG NOTES.
Mr. G. W. A. Bullock has at last yielded this particular spot to a successor, and Mr. S. H. K. Co took over on the 22nd January. Mr. Bullock was obviously very sorry to leave, and equally sorry were the people to lose him, that is, if the number that attended’ the Dindang ‘ staged in his honour, is anything to go by.
Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Bune arrived by the Marudu on 22nd and were the guests of H. E. the Governor and Mrs. Richards for the week-end.
Their daughter Mrs. J. S. Hill and her husband accompanied them and stayed with the Honourable Mr. C. F. C. Macaskie at the Residency, Mr. Hill having come with the object,( in which we are glad to hear he was successful) of confounding the examiner in the Hakim (Lower Standard) examination.
We are sorry that Sandakan was not kinder in its welcome as far as the weather went; it is never at its best in the N. E. monsoon.
DR. G. G. CAMPBELL, M.D.
AN APPRECIATION.
On the 23rd of December the Darvel took away from us Dr. and Mrs. Campbell and their three children after a residence, on Dr: Campbell’s part, of fifteen years spent almost entirely in the Interior Residency.
Those who know them and who have enjoyed their hospitality will wish them every prosperity in their new life and express the hope that what is a distinct loss to North Borneo will prove a gain to them.
Dr. Campbell came to this country in November 1916 after seeing service with the U. S. Army Transport Service in the Philippine Islands and was first engaged as Medical Officer to the Beaufort Group of Estates.
He was not long in this appointment for in 1917 he was engaged jointly by Melalap and Sapong Estates as their Medical Officer, a position which he has retained up to the date of his departure from this country.
In addition to these duties he was appointed Medical Officer by the Government to, Tenom _township and district and agreed to visit Keningau and Tambunan when necessary.
In 1929 he received his first gazetted appointment as Deputy Health Officer and in 1931 he was gazetted Government Medical Consultant, Interior, in official recognition of his valuable medical services.
The Yaws campaign surpasses in importance all Dr. Campbell’s other achievements. At its commencement he had to face colossal ignorance, blind stoicism to what was accepted as the inscrutable will of a deity against whom it was useless, if not impious, to strive. An inherent fear of any white man’s medicine made progress still more difficult.
One mistake at the start would have been disastrous. Any display of impatience would have been met by flat refusal to undergo treatment or even to, meet the Doctor; and surmounting all lay the inborn timidity of the Murut.
But their confidence secured, they came on foot from Pensiangan (seven days march), the Sook Valley (four to five days), in many cases suffering from great pain due to open lesions; they obeyed instructions implicitly and never uttered a sound during treatment.
Only in one instance did the Doctor experience any disobedience. An upstanding, splendid specimen of a Murut became tired of waiting his turn and contrary, to strict instructions indulged in a huge feed of rice just before presenting himself to the Doctor who, naturally, knew nothing of what had occurred.
The Murut received a maximum injection, returned as far as the waiting room where he collapsed and had convulsions. Prompt measures of relief probably saved his life and he departed to his village some hours later, very much ashamed, but distinctly a wiser man.
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