ABSTRACT
A MODERN HEALTH PROGRAMME IN SYR IA, PALESTINE AND TRANS-JORDAN
P o l it ic a l divisions are more or less artificial, based often on the fortunes of war rather than on essential differences of racial background and social customs. Aside from the Lebanons which is a distinct section with characteristics peculiarly its own, the rest of Syria is very similar to Pales tine and Trans-jordan. This is particularly true as regards general health conditions. The social customs and attitudes of Arab women in Palestine, especially the poorer class, are those also of the same class in Syria.1 Ignorance and deeprooted superstitions along with bad midwifery are as usual the least common multiple in determining the physical condition of the majority of Moslem women in Syria as in Palestine. The same general attitude about marriage pre vails, which makes it the focus of a woman’s life and frequent child-bearing inevitable and natural. The masses are very much the same in both Palestine and Syria and only as education gains ground will definite changes begin to be evident. Political divisions, however, with their special racial problems and distinctive foreign influence, do produce a differentiation in the approach to the fundamental problems of each country-education, health and general public welfare. Because of the present difference in method and type of programme that is being promoted in Syria and Palestine and also Trans-jordan, these countries cannot be discussed as a unit, although the health problems are remarkably similar.
