Visits to homes in the city were continued, and Dr. Swain and her assistants were fully occupied every day.  Three of the graduates of the medical class were employed by Dr. Swain as Bible women and gave much assistance in the religious work connected with the hospital.

FIRST FURLOUGH

The anxiety and the responsibility of the rapidly increasing work brought weariness of mind and body, and in March, 1876, Dr. Swain returned to America for a much needed rest.  This was extended to the autumn of 1879 when, on September 25, she again sailed for India, arriving in Bombay November 6.  At the conference held in Cawnpore in January, 1880, Dr. Swain received her appointment to Bareilly and with gladness of heart took up her old work.

PHYSICIAN TO THE RANI OF KHETRI

In March, 1885, Dr. Swain received a call to a native state to attend the wife of the Rajah, and after two weeks of successful treatment she was formally requested to remain as physician to the Rani and the ladies of the palace.  After much thought and prayer it seemed to her that it was the Lord’s will that she should remain and do what she could for him in this place where there were no Christian influences; so she consented to the proposal on condition that she and her companion be allowed to carry on the work as Christians should.  To this the Rajah agreed, and Dr. Swain signed a contract to remain two years.

In the Blue Book, or Administration Report, of the Khetri State, 1886, the Rajah wrote:  “I cannot look back with greater pleasure or satisfaction on anything I have done than on the facilities introduced by me for rendering medical aid to the female portion of my subjects.  It is a patent fact that the Indian woman, secluded as she is within the four walls of the zenana, cannot fully benefit by any system of medicine; and it was not till the generous efforts of Lady Dufferin were turned in this direction that the wives and daughters of the richest and most enlightened Indians enjoyed a better position than the lowest and meanest of their fellows.  It therefore gives me genuine pleasure to bring prominently to your notice the existence of a regular institution in this benighted portion of India, for the treatment of females of all classes.  I have employed a very competent European lady doctor, Miss Swain, M.D., to attend on Her Highness, the Rani Sahiba, and, feeling it my duty to place her advice and assistance within the reach of all my subjects, have established a regular dispensary for women.  It was opened June 1, 1885, at the expense of the state, and a room in the palace building appropriated to it until a more convenient and suitable one could be provided.  An allowance of Rs. 100 per mensem is fixed for medicines, and is found for the present to be sufficient.  The average daily attendance at the dispensary is five.”