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INTRODUCTION. 9 undertaken chiefly for the purpose of finding out for herself what was the real condition of the women, and in what way they could best be helped, came to the conclusion that nothing was so much needed as a supply of properly trained women teachers to visit the zenanas; and it was chiefly as the result of her endeavours that the Government Normal Schools were established, and they have undoubtedly done much to spread elementary knowledge and civilizing influences.

It was also, we believe, through the visits of ladies to the zenanas that English people became aware of the terrible sufferings to which women were exposed, and the immense number of lives that were sacrificed owing to the impossibility of their obtaining proper medical attendance. The rigid seclusion to which the higher classes of women are kept, precludes them from calling in the assistance of medical men, and it became evident that only through medical women could their suffering condition be ameliorated.

Here again the missionary societies took the lead, and prepared the way for other workers, both English and American. Before long, however, it became evident that the work of a few individual ladies, or of one or two missionary societies, valuable as it was, could not hope to cope successfully with the tremendous need that existed.

In 1885 was established " The National Association