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Abstract
Fars is among the largest provinces of Iran that received the most technical assistance from the American economic delegation in the 1950s. After settling in the province and during ten years of activity, the American delegation provided technical assistance in the fields of health engineering, health education, preventive medicine, nursing, medical services, and medical education. This paper explains how the technical assistance of US personnel contributed to the general health of the Fars province. The findings of this research show that after the formation of the Public Health Cooperative Organization (PHCO) in 1950, not only did most of the cities and villages of this province began to enjoy safe drinking water, but also public health improved. Additionally, the birth of children with disabilities and the spread of infectious diseases such as malaria and trachoma declined by means of preventive medicine centers and health education.
Notes
1 Gasirowski, U.S. Foreign Policy and the Shah, 55–6.
2 Samaan, The Policy of Containment and the Middle East, 24.
3 Harris, “The Beginnings of Point IV Work in Iran,” 222–8.
4 Pierre Oberling writes that the Southern Movement in which the Qashqai tribe played an important role was the plan of Ahmad Qavam, the prime minister of the time. Oberling believes that through this anti-communist rebellion, Qavam could convince western governments that Iran’s territorial integrity was at stake and that they should defend it. To achieve this aim and to organize the rebellion, Qavam secretly met Khosrow Khan Qashqai and the other tribal leaders (Oberling, The Qashqa’i Nomads of Fars, 183–9).
5 Amouzgar, Technical Assistance in Theory and Practice.
6 Palmquist and Aldridge, “Iran’s Public Health Cooperative Organization,” and “Malaria Control in Iran.”
7 Razmara, Farhang-e Joqrafiyayi-ye Iran, iii.
8 Hafezi, “Amar-e Mobtalayan,” 69–108.
9 Fasai, Farsnameh-ye Naseri, 722.
10 “Gozaresh,” Enteqad, 27 Mehr 1329 (19 October 1950).
11 Ghorban, Medical Education in Shiraz, 5.
12 See Wright, The English amongst the Persians, 113–28; Elgood, A Medical History of Persia and the Eastern Caliphate, chapter 17; and Armajani, “CHRISTIANITY viii. Christian Missions in Persia.” See also Heidari, “Investigating the Role of the British in Health,” 27–40.
13 Setzler, “In Iran,” 520–5.
14 Hafezi, “Amar-e Mobtalayan,”16.
15 Ibid., 136.
16 Edrisiyan, “Moruri bar Vaz’iyat-e Malari-ya dar Iran,” 50–60.
17 “Gozaresh,” Akhbar-e Hafteh, no. 45 (1336/1958), 2.
18 Edrisiyan, “Moruri bar Vaziyat-e Malari-ya dar Iran, 51.
19 Moasseseh-ye Motaleat-e Tarikh-e moaser-e Iran (IICHS), 1 Ordibehesht 1330 (22 April 1951), 122-7-108-126.
20 Palmquist and Aldridge, “Iran’s Public Health Cooperative Organization,” 970–5.
21 This division is based on documents which have not been published and are now available in both Persian and English at the National Library and Archives of Iran (NLAI).
22 “Gozaresh,” Ofoq-e Shiraz, 5 Aban 1330 (28 October 1951).
23 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 24 Bahman 1330 (14 February 1952).
24 “Gozaresh,” Estakhr, 28 Bahman 1330 (18 February 1952). In the reports made by the PHCO no mention was made about malaria control training by spraying bed nets with DDT. However, given the importance of bed nets for malaria mosquito control, their use is not unlikely.
25 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 15 Esfand 1330 (6 March 1952).
26 Hamraz, Barrasi-ye Ahdaf, 153.
27 Palmquist and Aldridge, “Malaria control in Iran,” 976–81.
28 Hamraz, Barrasi-ye Ahdaf, 153.
29 NLAI, Monthly Activity Report, From Director of PHCO from 1951 to 1954, file 293/042011-86-96, Tehran.
30 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 7 Ordibehesht 1334 (28 April 1955).
31 NLAI, Monthly Activity Report, from Director of PHCO, December 1955, file 293/042011-9, Tehran.
32 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 30 Azar 1334 (22 December 1955).
33 NLAI, Monthly Activity Report, from Director of PHCO, February 1956, file 293/042011-46, Tehran. Two years after the American experts left Iran (i.e. 1962), a book was written by the American biologist Rachel Louise Carson. In her book, she warned against the indiscriminate use of pesticides in nature, noting that the use of pesticides including DDT leads to nervous system disorders and other effects (Carson, Silent Spring, 188–98). The publication of Carson’s theories prompted strong reactions and some companies associated with chemical industries adopted a stance against her. Nevertheless, the damaging effects of DDT on nature and on the food chain became apparent over time and from the 1970s onward DDT consumption gradually declined in most countries, including Iran.
34 “Gozaresh,” Ofoq-e Shiraz, 30 Mehr 1331 (28 September 1952).
35 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 25 Aban 1331 (16 November 1952).
36 “Gozaresh,” Akhbar-e Hafteh, no. 40 (1336/1958), 7.
37 NLAI.Report, from Director of PHCO, 1952, file 293/19801-27-46-231-421, Tehran.
38 Bashir Gonabadi, Asnadi az Asl-e Chahar-e Teroman dar Iran, 361.
39 NLAI, Report, from Director of PHCO, 1954, file 293/041837, Tehran.
40 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 5 Ordibehesht 1334 (26 April 1955).
41 NLAI, Report, from Director of PHCO, December 1954 and February 1956, file 293/041837-12-14 and 293/042011-80-88-116, Tehran.
42 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 16 Mordad 1331 (7 August 1952).
43 “Gozaresh,” Enteqad, 24 Mordad 1329 (15 August 1950).
44 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 17 Ordibehesht 1332 (7 May 1953).
45 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 5 Mordad 1331 (27 July 1952).
46 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 17 Tir 1332 (8 July 1953).
47 NLAI, Report, from Director of PHCO, January 1955 and February 1956, file 293/041837 and 293/042011, Tehran.
48 “Gozaresh,” Akhbar-e Hafteh, no. 40 (1336/1958), 7.
49 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 27 Mehr 1331 (19 October 1952).
50 Bashir Gonabadi, Asnadi az Asl-e Chahar-e Truman dar Iran, 756.
51 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 10 Ordibehesht 1334 (1 May 1955).
52 Moasseseh-ye Motaleat-e Tarikh-e moaser (IICHS), 1 Ordibehesht 1330 (22 April 1951) 122-7-108-126.
53 “Khabarha-ye shiraz,” Pars, 6 Khordad 1334 (28 May 1955).
54 “Gozaresh,” Akhbar-e Daneshgah-e Shiraz, 3 Aban 1337 (24 October 1958), 92.
55 NLAI, Monthly Activity Report from Director of PHCO, August 1955, file 293/042011-105.
56 NLAI, Monthly Activity Report from Director of PHCO, December 1955, file 293/042011-7, Tehran.
57 NLAI, Report from Director of PHCO, January–December 1955, file 293/041837-3-11-18 and file 293/042011-4-23-44-63-87-101-133, Tehran.
58 Ghorban, Medical Education in Shiraz, 9.
59 Setzler, “In Iran,” 520.
60 Heidari, “Investigating the Role of the British in Health.”
61 Ghorban, Medical Education in Shiraz, 9–10.
62 “Gozaresh,” Estakhr, 6 Aban 1330 (29 October 1951).
63 NLAI, Monthly Activity Report from Director of PHCO, July 1955, file 293/042011-92, Tehran.
64 “Gozaresh,” Akhbar-e Hafteh, no. 11, 20 Tir 1336 (11 July 1957), 6.
65 The Iran Foundation was founded by a number of Iranians and prominent American figures including Dr. Leland Robinson (a medical doctor at the University of New York) to help advance health and culture in Iran. The headquarters of the Foundation was in the United States. Refer to Akhbar-e Hafteh, no. 11 (1336/1958), 5.
66 “Gozaresh,” Ofoq-e Shiraz, 28 Ordibehesht 1331 (18 May 1952).
67 “Gozaresh,” Akhbar-e Daneshgah-e Shiraz, Aban 1337 (November 1958), 6, 92.
68 Komiteh-ye Farhangi-ye Hamayesh, 49.
69 Ghorban, Medical Education in Shiraz, 25–7.
70 From 1954 to 1956 Dr. Hiatt and from 1954 to 1959 Dr. Gardner worked at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and Namazi Hospital of Shiraz.
71 “Gozaresh,” Akhbar-e Daneshgah-e Shiraz, 41.
72 Halsted and Ronaghy, “Zinc Deficiency in Man,” 227–84.
73 Ghorban, Medical Education in Shiraz, 36.
74 Azizi and Bahadori, “In Commemoration of Haj Mohammad Namazi,” 321–4.
75 Roberts, Farzane, and Halsted, Report, 34.
76 Komiteh-ye Farhangi-ye Hamayesh-e Haftadomin Sal, 200.
77 Bill, The Eagle and the Lion, 98–131.
78 In Shiraz the Tudeh Party opened its first branch in April 1944, when the editorial board of the city’s main intellectual paper, Oqiyanus, voted to join the party. The branch was soon joined by a number of young intellectuals: Fereydoun Tavalloli, one of the country’s leading poets; Iraj Zandpour, the headmaster of the main secondary school; and Abdullah Afifi, the editor of Surush, which soon served as the party’s provincial organ.(Abrahamian, Iran between Two Revolutions, 301–2).
79 “Gozaresh,” Herfeh, 18 Bahman 1330 (8 February 1952).
80 “Gozaresh,” Harbe-ye Enteqam, 12 Dey 1331(2 January 1953).
81 NLAI, Gozaresh-e Farmandari-ye Abadeh, 4 Esfand 1331(23 February 1953), file 290-3367-2.
82 NLAI, Gozaresh-e Edare-ye Shahrbani-ye Fars, 28 Esfand 1331(9 March 1953), file 290-3679-2.
83 “Gozaresh,” Herfeh, 13 Dey 1330 (4 January 1952).
84 “Gozaresh,” Seda-ye Shiraz, 30 Shahrivar 1330 (22 September 1951).
85 On this day, the supporters of the National Front of Iran, after obtaining permission from Mohammad Nakhjavan, the governor of Fars, gathered in Shahrdari Square in Shiraz in support of the government of Mosaddeq and listened to Karimpur Shirazi’s speech. They were attacked by a number of individuals affiliated with the Iran and Baradaran Parties who disrupted the meeting with such slogans as “Long Live the Shah” and “Down with Mosaddeq” and who joined with some thugs to destroy the office of the PHCO in Shiraz and loot its property.
86 NLAI, Gozaresh-e Dadghostari-ye Ostan-e Fars, file 290/8455, 7.
87 Ibid., file 290/8455, 8.
88 NLAI, Gozaresh-e Shahrbani-ye Koll-e Keshvar, 27 Farvardin 1331 (16 April 1952), file 290-8315, 25.
89 Markaz-e Asnad-e Riyasat Jomhouri-ye Iran, File 14028.
90 Tayyebi, Eil-e Qashqai, 152.
91 Warne, Mission for Peace, 127.
92 Qashqai, Sal-ha-ye Bohrani, 367.
93 NLAI, Gozaresh-e Farmandeh-e Lashkar-e Fars, 16 Khordad 1332 (6 June 1953), file 2394-290-14.
94 Embry, “Point Four,” 104.