Faith Put to the Test

Though I had hired chambers in the Tout and a house in Girgaum, God would not let me settle down. Scarcely had I moved into my new house when my second son Manilal, who had already been through an acute attack of small-pox some years back, started a severe attack of typhoid, combined with pneumonia and signs of delirium at night.

Although I had rented offices in the Tout and a house in Girgaum, God would not let me settle down. I had barely moved into my new house when my second son, Manilal, fell seriously ill. Some years earlier, he had suffered a severe case of smallpox. Now he had a severe attack of typhoid, along with pneumonia and signs of delirium at night.

The doctor was called in. He said medicine would have little effect, but that eggs and chicken broth might be given with profit.

The doctor was called in. He said medicine would have little effect, but eggs and chicken broth might help.

Manilal was only ten years old. To consult his wishes was out of the question. Being his guardian I had to decide. The doctor was a very good Parsi. I told him, that we were all vegetarians, and that I could not possibly give either of the two things to my son. Would he therefore recommend something else?

Manilal was only ten years old. Asking what he wanted was out of the question. As his guardian, I had to decide. The doctor was a very good Parsi. I told him that we were all vegetarians and that I could not possibly give my son either of the two things. Could he recommend something else?

‘Your son’s life is in danger,’ said the good doctor. ‘We could give him milk diluted with water, but that will not give him enough nourishment. As you know I am called in by many Hindu families, and they do not object to anything I prescribe. I think you will be well advised not to be so hard on your son.’

‘Your son’s life is in danger,’ said the kind doctor. ‘We could give him milk diluted with water, but it would not nourish him enough. As you know, many Hindu families call me in, and they do not object to anything I prescribe. I think you would be wise not to be so hard on your son.’

‘What you say is quite right,’ said I. ‘As a doctor you could not do otherwise. But my responsibility is very great. If the boy had been grown up, I should certainly have tried to ascertain his wishes and respected them. But here I have to think and decide for him. To my mind it is only on such occasions, that a man’s faith is truly tested. Rightly or wrongly it is part of my religious conviction, that man may not eat meat, eggs, and the like. There should be a limit even to the means of keeping ourselves alive. Even for life itself we may not do certain things. Religion as I understand it does not permit me to use meat or eggs for me or mine even on occasions like this, and I must therefore take the risk that you say is likely. But I beg of you one thing. As I cannot avail myself of your treatment, I propose to try some hydropathic remedies which I happen to know. But I shall not know how to examine the boy’s pulse, chest, lungs etc. If you will kindly look in from time to time to examine him, and keep me informed of his condition, I shall be grateful to you.’

‘What you say is quite right,’ I said. ‘As a doctor, you could not do otherwise. But my responsibility is very great. If the boy were grown up, I would certainly try to find out what he wanted and respect his wishes. But here I have to think and decide for him. To my mind, a person’s faith is truly tested only on such occasions. Rightly or wrongly, my religious conviction is that people must not eat meat, eggs, and the like. There should be limits even to what we do to stay alive. There are certain things we must not do, even to save our lives. As I understand it, my religion does not permit me or my family to eat meat or eggs, even now. So I must take the risk you say is likely. But I ask one thing of you. Since I cannot accept your treatment, I propose to try some water treatments I know. But I will not know how to examine the boy’s pulse, chest, lungs, and so on. I would be grateful if you would visit from time to time to examine him and keep me informed of his condition.’

The good doctor appreciated my difficulty and agreed to my request. Though Manilal could not have made his choice, I told him what had passed between the doctor and myself, and asked him his opinion.

The kind doctor understood my difficulty and agreed to my request. Although Manilal could not have made the choice himself, I told him what the doctor and I had discussed. I asked for his opinion.

‘Do try your hydropathic treatment,’ he said. ‘I will not have eggs or chicken broth.’

‘Please try your water treatment,’ he said. ‘I will not eat eggs or drink chicken broth.’

This made me glad, though I realised that if I had given him either of these, he would have taken it.

This made me glad, though I knew he would have taken either one if I had given it to him.

I knew Kuhne’s treatment and had tried it too. I knew as well that fasting also could be tried with profit. So I began to give Manilal hip baths according to Kuhne, never keeping him in the tub for more than three minutes, and kept him on orange juice mixed with water for three days.

I knew about Kuhne’s treatment and had tried it myself. I also knew that fasting could be beneficial. So I began giving Manilal hip baths according to Kuhne’s method, keeping him in the tub for no more than three minutes. For three days, I gave him only orange juice mixed with water.

But the temperature persisted, going up to 104°. At night he would be delirious. I began to get anxious. What would people say of me? What would my elder brother think of me? Could we not call in another doctor? Why not have an Ayurvedic physician? What right had the parents to inflict their fads on their children?

But his fever continued, reaching 104°. At night, he became delirious. I began to worry. What would people say about me? What would my elder brother think of me? Could we call another doctor? Why not consult an Ayurvedic physician? What right did parents have to impose their fads on their children?

I was haunted by thoughts like these. Then a contrary current would start. God would surely be pleased to see, that I was giving the same treatment to my son as I would give myself. I had faith in hydropathy, and little in allopathy. The doctor could not guarantee recovery. At best they could experiment. The thread of life was in the hands of God. Why not trust it to Him, and in His name go on with what I thought was the right treatment?

These thoughts haunted me. Then I would begin to think differently. Surely God would be pleased to see me treating my son as I would treat myself. I believed in water therapy, but had little faith in conventional medicine. The doctor could not guarantee recovery. At best, the doctors could experiment. My son's life was in God's hands. Why not trust his life to God and, in his name, continue with what I thought was the right treatment?

My mind was torn between these conflicting thoughts. It was night. I was in Manilal’s bed lying by his side. I decided to give him a wet sheet pack. I got up, wetted a sheet, wrung the water out of it and wrapped it about Manilal, keeping only his head out, and then covered him with two blankets. To the head I applied a wet towel. The whole body was burning like hot iron, and quite parched. There was absolutely no perspiration.

My mind was torn between these conflicting thoughts. It was night. I was lying beside Manilal in his bed. I decided to wrap him in a wet sheet. I got up, wet a sheet, and wrung out the water. I wrapped it around Manilal, leaving only his head uncovered. Then I covered him with two blankets. I put a wet towel on his head. His whole body was burning like hot iron and was completely dry. He was not sweating at all.

I was sorely tired. I left Manilal in charge of his mother, and went out for a walk on Chaupati to refresh myself. It was about ten o’clock. Very few pedestrians were out. Plunged in deep thought I scarcely looked at them. ‘My honour is in Thy keeping, oh Lord, in this hour of trial,’ I repeated to myself. Ramanama was on my lips. After a short time I returned, my heart beating within my breast.

I was exhausted. I left Manilal in charge of his mother and went for a walk on Chaupati to refresh myself. It was about ten o’clock. Very few people were out walking. I was deep in thought and hardly looked at them. ‘My honour is in your keeping, oh Lord, in this hour of trial,’ I repeated to myself. Ramanama was on my lips. After a short time, I returned, my heart beating in my chest.

No sooner had I entered the room than Manilal said, ‘You have returned, Bapu?’

As soon as I entered the room, Manilal said, ‘You’re back, Bapu?’

‘Yes, darling.’

‘Yes, darling.’

‘Do please pull me out. I am burning.’

‘Please pull me out. I am burning.’

‘Are you perspiring, my boy?’

‘Are you sweating, my boy?’

‘I am simply soaked. Do please take me out.’

‘I’m completely soaked. Please take me out.’

I felt his forehead. It was covered with beads of perspiration. The temperature was going down. I thanked God.

I felt his forehead. It was covered with beads of sweat. His temperature was going down. I thanked God.

‘Manilal, your fever is sure to go now. A little more perspiration and then I will take you out.’

‘Manilal, your fever is sure to go away now. Sweat a little more, and then I will take you out.’

‘Pray, no. Do deliver me from this furnace. Wrap me some other time if you like.’

‘Please, no. Get me out of this furnace. You can wrap me some other time if you like.’

I just managed to keep him under the pack for a few minutes more by diverting him. The perspiration streamed down his forehead. I undid the pack, dried his body, and father and son fell asleep in the same bed.

I managed to keep him under the pack for a few more minutes by distracting him. Sweat streamed down his forehead. I removed the pack and dried his body. Father and son then fell asleep in the same bed.

And each slept like a log. Next morning Manilal had much less fever. He went on thus for forty days on diluted milk and fruit juices. I had no fear now. It was an obstinate type of fever, but it had been got under control.

And each slept soundly. The next morning, Manilal’s fever was much lower. He continued on diluted milk and fruit juices for forty days. I was no longer afraid. The fever was stubborn, but it was under control.

Today Manilal is the healthiest of my boys. Who can say whether his recovery was due to God’s grace, or to hydropathy, or to careful dietary and nursing? Let every one decide according to his own faith. For my part I was sure, that God had saved my honour, and that belief remains unaltered to this day.

Today Manilal is the healthiest of my boys. Who can say whether he recovered because of God’s grace, water therapy, or careful diet and nursing? Let everyone decide according to their own faith. For my part, I was sure that God had saved my honour, and I still believe that today.