Zhangjaikou, Inner Mongolia
North China Sanitarium & Hosp. 1932

The North China San and Hospital, located in Zhangjiahou(Kalgon), Inner Mongolia was established in 1931. Dr. E. F. Coulston was the first Medical Director. The number of patients during the first year was 12,015. Next year, after the opening of a nursing school, the only doctor was expected to be less busy. But he had to teach and do other things, so there was no relief.  The hospital had only 20 beds yet often 50 patients were crowding in the rooms. Before seeing each patient   Dr. Coulston always prayed for him or her. Diseases were rampant everywhere.  In that part of the country, war was going on constantly. After 2½ year Dr. Coulstonlost his only son. When they laid his body in a cemetery, little did they know that soon the father would join the son. Dr. Coulstonwas asked to see a boy with diphtheria, with a special strain of virus. The boy coughed a lot, even coughed onto the doctor’s face.  The regular antiseptic procedure was not enough. He developed a fever but continue to care for patients. Medicine needed was not available locally. When it did arrive from Beijing, it was too late. As Dr. Coulstonknew he was near the end of his life, not able to talk, he wrote on a piece of paper these words, “Please tell my father, I die in the joy of service,”

The whole city mourned the loss of a lifesaver. The children who once called him “foreign devil” were now marching with tears in the funeral procession, holding banners with words such as “He died for us Chinese”, and “All China mourn his death”, all the way to the cemetery. Dr. Harry Miller, who conducted the funeral service, said “Although Dr. Coulstonserved only 3½ years, he had offered himself to the people without reservation. He gave his life to the Medical Missionary work of China. His wife later married Dr. Edwin Brooks, a Bible professor and persuaded him to take medicine. He graduated in 1953 and in 1958 they went to Taiwan to serve in the Taiwan Adventist Hospital and later in the Saigon Adventist Hospital in Vietnam.