Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎284v] (568/807)

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13. Tehran University.
Professor Oberling (a French subject) is doyen of the Faculty of Medicine
at the University of Tehran. Since his arrival over a year ago he has accom
plished two difficult tasks : (i) to secure the transfer of the civil hospitals from
the Ministry of the Interior to the Ministry of Education; and (ii) to get rid of
very well-connected, but useless, men who were opposed to any reform. The
second task was difficult, as these individuals had friends everywhere, and it could
not have been accomplished without the backing of H.I.H. the Crown Prince, who
is very keen on public health and backs up Professor Oberling whenever this is
required.
While the hospitals were under the Ministry of the Interior the training
of medical students was much neglected and was largely theoretical; dissection
had begun to be taught to some extent, notably by Dr. Blair, of the American
Mission, but the teaching was mostly by lectures. Students learned dermatology
from text-booldjhid had rarely seen a post-mortem carried out. The state of
neglect that existed is illustrated by the fact that masses of splendid German
instruments and apparatus which arrived years ago had never even been taken out
of the cases in which they arrived. This has now been changed; students receive
practical instruction in the hospitals from surgeons and doctors. Since the
transfer, too, the number of operations has doubled and patients trebled. A
proper civilian clinic for trachoma has been set up which deals with 100 to
150 cases a day. The medical students are very keen, and to teach them men have
been found who have been trained in Europe. Foreign professors have also been
engaged. There is still a serious shortage of nurses and a complete lack of persons
to run the administrative side of hospitals, almoners, &e.
14. A .R.P.
Reference Intelligence Summary No. 2 (current), paragraph 12 (ii). The
port area in Basra is now fully blacked out and the possibility of extending
black-out precautions to Ashar and the city of Basra are under consideration.
H. J. UNDERWOOD, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Military Attache.
Tehran, February 8, 1941.
Appendix “ A.”
(A) Belgium.
1. Before the German invasion 95 per cent, of Belgians did not wish to go
to war with Germany even if they invaded their country. In consequence, the
Belgian Army did not resist as much as they could have.
2. Belgians are now solidly behind their King, on whose case a great deal
of propaganda has been issued.
3. The German Army of Occupation have conducted themselves with
correctness and even politeness, to which the Belgians reciprocated at first. All
this has now completely changed; the majority of Belgians are pro-British. There
is, however, much bitterness against the French.
4. The Port of Antwerp and the docks have suffered much from the R.A.F'.
bombings. M. Peers himself saw this.
5. The Germans have been experimenting with the canal barges by
installing Diesel engines and even hydroplane engines. A good many barges
turned turtle and German soldiers were drowned and equipment lost! Many
Belgian barges and ships were fitted up for the invasion of England. The bottoms
of the ships were filled with concrete to support tanks, artillery, &c., and great
doors fitted in the sides to allow them to be disembarked without delay.
6. The plant of the Societe Metallurgique at Hoboken, on the banks of the
River Schelde, of which M. Peers is an employee, is now working at full pressure.
Copper, brass, lead refining process, &c., is being carried out, but raw materials
will last only until February or March 1941. Raw material has come from France,
after which the Germans will remove the machinery, &c. Another large plant at
Oolen, west of and near Herenthals, belonging’ to the same concern, is in
production. The Germans re-engaged the whole of the Belgian staff of these
plants. Neither of these plants has been bombed. Before the invasion the