Man's Life Saved in the Shetland*.

ABOUT 6.30 in the evening of 21st October, 1935, it was reported to the coast-watcher at Sandness, on the west of the Shetlands, that a light could be seen on the island of Papa Stour, which appeared to be signalling. The light was, in fact, morsing, but owing to haze and snow showers it was some time before the message could be clearly read. It was to the effect that a man was seriously ill on the island, and that unless an operation was performed he would be dead in twenty- four hours. As the doctor on Papa Stour also reported that the patient was too weak to stand the journey, the news was telephoned to the Gilbert Bain Hospital at Lerwick, and the hospital's surgeon, Mr. George M.

Sturroch, set out at once by car for Aith, a journey of thirty miles. Mr.

Sturroch had half a dozen operations to perform at Lerwick the next day, and agreed to go to Papa Stour if he could be promised that he would be brought back in time for them.

After a Three Days' Gale.

So heavy a sea was running, following a three days' gale, that neither the usual ferry nor any motor boat avail- able could make the passage. The Aith motor life-boat, The Rankin, was called out, and the surgeon set off in her at nine at night, just two and a half hours after the first signal from Papa Stour had been seen. With him went Dr. Roy Mackenzie, of Walls, and the district nurse, Nurse Mary Morrison.

Dr. Mackenzie and Nurse Morrison had already had experience of such a journey, for in January, 1935, they had been taken by the motor life-boat to Papa Stour in a strong gale to attend to a man who had been seriously injured in an accident.

Although the gale of the previous three days had dropped to a moderate breeze, the sea was still very heavy, visibility was poor, and the weather was very cold, with showers of snow.

The journey of ten miles took just two hours, and the doctors and nurse reached Papa Stour at eleven o'clock.

There is no landing-place on the island, and, with considerable difficulty, they were brought ashore in a small boat.

Shortly before midnight the operation was successfully performed, and the three at once set out on their return journey. The life-boat landed them safely at Aith at 2.30 next morning, and Mr. Sturrock returned to Lerwick in time for his operations at the hospital that day.

The Institution's rewards to the life-boat crew of £117s. 6d. to each man, £13 2s. 6d. in all, were repaid to it by the Scottish Department of Health..