Abstract:

The subject of this study contains the studies of Dr. Fred D. Shepard who was a missioner doctor. He came to Central Turkey College, Antep to give lesson in 1882 and died of tyfhus in Antep in 1915. Shepard, who worked depending upon American Board missioner organization, was one of the American missioners, who gave three generation health services in G.Antep, Beyrut and Istanbul. Dr. Fred D. Shepard, his wife Dr. Fany A. Shepard and their son Dr. Lorrin Shepard worked in Antep American Hospital between the yerars 1882-1921. Besides his studies in the hospital, he trained the medicine students of college. The head doctors of at least 14 cities, containing Antep, Halep and Maraş, were Shepard’s students. Dr. Shepard didn’t discriminate people according to their religion or race. For instance, Dr. Shepard was invited to the iftar dinner and formal invitations in Antep. When Cemal Pasha was appointed to Adana as a general governor after the events that happened in Çukurova region in 1909-1910, he appointed Dr. Shepard to the commission which was formed with three people to build the damaged villages in the region. Dr. Shepard took place in the construction of 900 houses in the process of 10 months and gathered 100,000 dollars of fund. Dr. Shepard was rewarded with the fifth grade Mecidi Medal by Sultan Mehmet Reşad in 1910 because of his studies. Also, the Red Cross sent him a medal because of the same studies of him. Dr. Fred D. Shepard’s wife was a doctor, too. Besides of her health studies, she had women of region to make handicraft and marketed these handicrafts to abroad. In the Eastern world, which was blended medicine with magic, of course Shepard had no difficulty in finding new friends at the any door that he knocked and he was welcomed respectfully in the whole region among people. Missioners who looked the doctorship as a “christianize project”, were conscious of the impact which would increase in case of supporting missionary service with health mission. This study was prepared with the help of archives belonging to American Board, micro film, annuals, catalogue of college and hospital and also Ottoman archive documents and source books.

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