THE BUILDER MARCH 1926

THE WORK OF THE A.U.B.
By Bro. John W. Shuman, California

IN the articles on Palmyia and Palestine that respectively appeared
in The Builder for November and January last, the author, Major
"Jack" Shurnan, referred several times to the American University
of Beirut, at which he was for some time Director of Internal
Medicine. As these two articles have roused a good deal of
attention Bro. Shuman has given us the following account of this
institution at our special request. He writes regarding it as
follows: "In this story only part of the work of the A. U. B. can
he described. It is hoped that at least enough has been given to
give members of the N. M. R. S. more than a glimpse of the
opportunities America has of spreading its ideas and ideals in that
part of Asia." The illustrations are all from photographs taken by
the author's wife, excepting the one showing the chapel of the
college, which was kindly furnished by the American Director of the
Near East Colleges.

The work of the American University is Modern "Missionarying." The
A.U.B. is a by-product of old style missionary endeavor. It was
founded by Rev. Daniel Bliss in the 60's of the last century as the
Syrian Protestant College (S.P.C.).

Missionaries in Syria are not new. They have been an institution
over there for centuries. The American type has been there at least
one hundred years, for the Beirut Presbyterians can remember back
that far. Dr. Bliss went out to Syria as a parson missionary, but
wisely saw better opportunities for good along educational lines.
He was a real pioneer and had the "pep" and zeal to "see through"
whatever he started. The East did not slow him up like it does so
many white men who migrate to its sunny clime.

The work of the College (1) was "to lay the foundation of (Western)
Christian literature, through which the millions of people in Asia,
Barbary states, Egypt and Central Arriea (he was not short-sighted)
might be reached for the Kingdom (of Christ)." The work grew for
there was a real demand for education. At this time the College
Departments consisted of Arabic (which is the dominant language of
Syria) language and literature and modern languages, mathematics,
astronomy, chemistry, natural science, commerce and medicine. The
name S.P.C. was changed to A.U.B. when General Allenby drove that
part of the German Army called Turks out of Palestine and Syria
during the late war. Howard, son of Daniel, was then the second
president of the school. Rev. B. Dodge, a grand nephew-in-law of
the founder, has since succeeded him. The A.U.B. is a sort of
family missionary institution, as it were. Some have called it "The
Iron-Ring," meaning the Bliss circle.

No one can blame the missionaries for enjoying life in and about
Beirut, with the beautiful Georgian Bay in front and the lofty
Lebanon Mountains for a background, from whence King Hiram felled
the cedars to fill his lumber contract with the Builder Solomon who
erected the first temple. In passing, it may be noted that Beirut,
or Beyrouth, as the French spell it, is the Capital of Syria.
During the school year (October to June) the teachers live in the
city, but in the summer time they remove to their summer homes in
the mountains, twelve to twenty miles away, or else they travel.
The only department kept open, and that is cut down to less than a
quarter of its capacity, is the hospital.

The French who mandate Syria now are kindly disposed towards the
A.U.B. They have a university of their own in the same city run by
the Jesuits. In Damascus there is an Arabic University. All have
Medical Departments. The A.U.B. is one of a group of five schools
in the so-called Near-East backed by American capital and advisory
boards in New York. Two of the others are located in Constantinople
(Robert's and Women's), one in Sofia in Bulgaria and one in Smyrna.
The teaching is given in English.

The attendance at the A.U.B. is well on 1,000 students in all
departments. The latter represent many nationalities, creeds and
walks of life. It is safe to say that there is one department
which, though not greatly advertised, does more to make men equal,
that is, to wash out differences of sects, race, etc., than any
other. That is the Department of Athletics! Here Moslem, Jew and
Gentile (of all brands), Druz, Kurd and Copt, Russian, Turk and
Armenian, Arab, Lebanese and American throw aside tribal customs,
society badges, marks and what not, to toss, hit and kick "the ball
on its nose," and to run, jump and strive to win events. All
perfectly willing to hail and do just honors to "the best man" or
team. There is nothing strange about this, it is just human nature.

Another popular department is that of Medicine and its allies,
Dentistry, the Hospital, etc. Any human being can feel a pain and
appreciates relief, even if he can't distinguish the advantage in
"swapping religions." The A.U.B. runs two chapels, one for
Christians and one for other beliefs, held at the same time.
Students are marked on attendance. Even professors who do not
attend are envied those who feel compelled to be present! To give
an idea of the medical work of the A.U.B. the following is
abstracted from another article by the author this subject: (2)

"During the school year of 1922-23 the Department of Internal
Medicine of the A.U.B. received five hundred patients in the
hospital and thirty-one hundred in the Out-patient Department. This
report deals particularly with the five hundred male and female
adult hospitalized patients. The hospital was composed of four
buildings of the pavilion type, and is a part of the Medical
Department of the university. The number of beds in use by all
departments was one hundred and sixty-five. Twenty two beds were
allotted to the medical service; these at stress times were
supplemented by flor cots.

"The raising of the general health standard of people thereby
increasing their general usefulness and happiness is certainly a
good work. This should be the aim of those who are doing medical
missionary work, for it is fully realized that this physical
improvement must be done through sanitation and health service to
prevent disease; all of which involves housing, labor age, and
private and public enterprise, etc.,  for conserving health.

"That we were handicapped in our work is readily admitted, most
missionary institutions are. The greatest handicap was the lack of
facilities to work out the diagnosis properly. When I went to
Beirut the laboratories (aids in diagnostic medicine) were as
follows: There was no full time pathologist; the hospital
bacteriologist was the instructor in the practical course of
physiology as well as the adjunct professor of internal medicine
(the title without duties); the X-ray was of an obsolete type
nineteen years old, and at so great a distance from the medical
building that it was impractical to transport patients to it. But
no difficulties were insurmountable and the medical school is
getting along towards an A-plus rating similar to medical schools
in the United States.

"Uniform history charts and records for all services like those
used in standardized American hospitals were recommended and
introduced. During the previous year one hundred and eighty
patients were admitted to the medical service, against the five
hundred herein reported, which helps to demonstrate the growth of
the work.

"It was not long before we were able to obtain regular Wassermanns,
agglutinins, for typhoid and typhus, complement fixation for
hydatid cyst, tuberculin, and other tests, from the hospital
clinical laboratory. The native doctors and students and most of my
colleagues were enthusiastic for the methods of modern medicine,
especially the thorough examination of the patient before a
diagnosis was made and treatment started."

In June, 1923, the senior medical students numbered twenty-eight.
To an American their names would sound strange, and the literal
meanings of them stranger still, and it is not easy to imagine
young men so called studying the latest type of scientific
medicine. The two first on the class roll of that year were Faiz
'Abd-ul-Malak an d Yakub 'Abd-ul-Masih, which literally are Faiz
Slave of the King and Jacob Slave of Christ. But they were all an
interesting and most intelligent lot of men to work for, and the
letters I receive from some of them well repay me for any efforts
I may have made in their behalf.

Incidents of my service there are forever cropping up in mind, some
extremely pathetic, but others mighty humorous; for example this
one:

To the clinic came an Armenian refugee. He had lately arrived from
Turkey. He claimed that when he had feared robbery by brigands, he
had swallowed his gold! The Turkish gold piece or pound ($5.00) is
quite a little bigger than one's thumb nail. The man asserted he
had swallowed $130.00 worth (27 pieces) and wanted his "Bank
Account" opened by the surgeon. The man was greatly emaciated,
because although he had money he could not exchange it for bread
and no one would sell him food on credit. The surgeon took his word
for a promise of ten pounds for the operation fee and opened his
stomach. But lo and behold, the operator found only twenty-one gold
coins! The patient when he came out of the anesthesia claimed he
had been "short-changed." Possibly he figured on interest--the
Armenian being a little more shrewd than the Jew. (3)

(1) From book, "Reminiscences of Daniel Bliss," by D. B.
(2) Medical Work in Syria," Medical Journal and Record, April 1.
1925.
(3) "Lutheran M. D. in Syria," The Lutheran, May 29, 1924.

