ARTHUR FELLS, South Travancore, LMS Medical Missionary

ARTHUR FELLS, M.B., CM.

In January 30, 1893, Dr. Arthur Fells arrived at Neyoor, Travancore, to release Dr. Fry for service as secretary and superintendent of the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society. Fells has entertained the desire of becoming a missionary since he left school, and, having served an apprenticeship under a chemist at Warminster (where he joined himself to the Congregational church, and engaged in Sunday school work), and studied medicine in Edinburgh, he is entering upon his future work with the deep conviction that medical mission work is the most Christ-like of enterprises, that it offers the means of gaining the readiest entrance to the hearts of the people, and that the need for such ministry is greatest in the vast heathen world.

While at Edinburgh he took part in the work of the Cowgate Medical Mission, and was connected with the Children’s Church belonging to that Mission, taking charge of the church during the latter part of his period of study. He also visited common lodging-houses, and helped at services for patients, evangelistic meetings, etc. The Directors are indebted to the generosity of Dr. Gauld and the Committee of the Old Ford Medical Mission for releasing him from an engagement into which he had entered with them. Prior to his departure Dr. Fells was united in marriage to Miss Jessie Reiach, of  Edinburgh, who accompanied him to Neyoor. Ramsgate being Dr. Fells’ home, a farewell meeting was held in the Congregational church (of which he was a member) on December 1st, under the presidency of the pastor, the Rev. J. B. Evans, the opening devotions being led by the Rev. J. Wall. Mr. Hinds and Mr. Pool, on behalf of the Sunday-school and church respectively, expressed hearty good wishes for Dr. Fells, who in turn addressed the meeting. The Rev. R. Wardlaw Thompson described the character of the work being done at Neyoor, after which the Rev. J. James, of Margate, offered a valedictory prayer. Dr. Fells’ father also spoke at the meeting.

Dr. Fells, was a highly qualified and dedicated physician who took over the South Travancore Medical Mission. A great challenge was awaited when Dr. Fells as South Travancore medical mission in-charge because South Travancore was in the grip of epidemics that broke out consequent to a famine caused by an unprecedented drought that lasted for three years. The famine and the epidemics were so devastating that people died like flies. Numerous people died in and around South Travancore during the famine Dr. Fells took the leadership to open a number of dispensaries all over South Travancore. Fells, wrote in his report for 1900 about the Maharaja who was "always a true friend” of the mission.  

He was an expert in treating cancer, he took more care in treating the patients. During his work period more than 75,000 people were treated. It was at this time the number of branch hospital increased from nine to thirteen. As a surgeon he has done surgery for nearly 5,000 people. He called the assistants as “Medical Fellow Missionaries”, and because of his efforts and the success of Neyoor Hospital with other branch hospitals, the South Travancore medical mission was made as “largest medical mission in the world”. He chose well talented persons/ evangelists from mission and trained them as compounder, nurses, and medical personals. Those medical trained people are engaged in mission fields, which allowed Fells to reduce the expense of medical mission.