Items

• 063 Apang - polio patient
  Apang contracted polio in her kampong and later brought to Gombak. As Occupational Therapist I was asked if I could do anything for her as she was very depressed. She was only interested in learning to walk again. This was considered to be unrealistic, but I tried to show her what her limitations were and that she would never walk again unaided. It was a hard lesson for a young girl to learn, especially as her family had originally abandoned her in the kampong when they discovered that she could not walk.
• 083 B.C.G. immunization programme
  Family members watch as B.C.G.inoculation is given.
• 059 Cooking for the family
  Families are encouraged to cook for their ill members in the designated cooking area. Daily rations are supplied but they often go to the nearby jungle and river to hunt and fish.
• 004 Hospital Wards
  Two of the brightly painted wards.
• 014 Using a kwali
  There was a designated area for cooking where the patients' relatives could cook their meals for them. The Orang Asli were encouraged to go hunting and fishing in the jungle to supplement their diet.
• 084 B.C.G. immunization programme
  Unhappy looking young child being given the Mantoux test.
• 055 Weaving a nyero
  A nyero is a flat basket used to sift and dry rice. The material used is rotan. It is pulled from the trees in the nearby jungle and then cut into strips for weaving.
• 012 Waiting for rations
  The hospital provided daily basic rations for the patients and their families. As parents, spouses and children often accompanied the patient to hospital, there were always plenty of folk about to cook the meals for the patients.
• 070 Three children at entrance to Rumah Sakit Orang Asli, Gombak, Selangor
  The hospital is full of healthy children who accompany their ill parent or relative from their kampongs for treatment.
• 069 Patient arriving by helicopter
  Following consultation between the Deep Jungle Medical Post and Gombak Hospital, the patient is transferred to hospital by helicopter. The family usually accompanies the patient.
• 048 Temiar mother and baby
  This Temiar mother has recently given birth and is awaiting the arrival of the next helicopter to take her and child back to their kampong.
• 047 Temiar mother and baby
  This Temiar mother has recently given birth and is awaiting the arrival of the next helicopter to take her and child back to their kampong.
• 031 Art class
  Bah Suda, one of the Field Staff assigned to help with teaching the children.
• 064 General ward
  Young mother comes to hospital to receive treatment. She brings her husband and three children with her.
• 028 Young patient
  Angan, around three years old, was found to have a serious heart defect during a medical visit to her kampong. She was brought back to Gombak and was treated with medication. Sometime later, she was flown to USA with help from some benefactors, but unfortunately the surgeons found that there was nothing they could do for her. She returned to Gombak and continued as before. I do not know if she returned to her kampong.
• 022 Group of Patients
  Generally the Orang Asli like to have their photographs taken, especially if you give them a copy. Also, it could be said that the various tribes get along well together at the hospital. It is probably the only place where they meet other tribe members.
• 056 Making a lukah (fish trap)
  Fish traps are made from bertam wood strips and placed in the River Gombak. The caught fish is then cooked and eaten by the patients and their families.
• 065 Postnatal ward
  Young mother with her newborn child. Looking on are her husband and son who have accompanied her to hospital. More Orang Asli women give birth in hospital now and more girls are trained in midwifery and sent out to the Deep Jungle Medical Posts.
• 009 Orang Asli Field Staff
  If a young Orang Asli man or woman has a basic education in reading and writing he/she could be given medical training at Gombak. If successful, he/she would then work in a deep jungle medical post as well as at the hospital. Some Field Staff were able to progress to positions of responsibility.
• 078 Semai man
  This elderly man had earlier been hunting with his blowpipe and curare tipped darts. He caught a monkey and his wife then made a delicious curry with locally grown wild rice.
• 060 Negrito family
  In the mid-1960s it was rare to see any negrito patients. This family was from Perak and members of the Jahai tribe
• 021 Woman of semai tribe
  One of the antenatal patients. Orang Asli women are increasingly attending Gombak for childbirth. Orang Asli girls are trained as midwives and work both at the hospital and in the jungle.
• 079 Man of Semai tribe
  After taking this photograph the Peace Corps nurse, the Orang Asli Field Staff and myself were invited to a Ronggeng - an evening of dancing - with music performed on homemade instruments made from such materials as bamboo.
• 053 Women's sewing lesson
  Many Orang Asli womwn were first introduced to needles and threads at Gombak. While I was there a large consignment of sewing kits arrived from the USA, and so I decided to show the women how to sew and how to cut patterns to make bajus for themselves and their daughters. This project proved very popular.
• 057 Meal time
  Meals are usually eaten in family groups on the wards.