Sir Henry Tristram Holland (12 February 1875 – 19 September 1965) was a Christian medical missionary who travelled to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Baluchistan to provide ophthalmologic surgery and care.
[4] The hospital in Quetta was a medical mission established in 1886 by British officials, mainly to treat the illnesses of tribesmen in the region.
The hospital treated many different ailments including common illnesses of dysentery and malaria and surgeries for hemorrhoids, tubercular glands, and cataracts.
[3] Having no previous hands-on experience in a hospital, Holland worked many hours alongside doctors to learn about administering treatments and performing surgery.
He continued his learning by visiting hospitals in Kashmir, Punjab, and Sind and went on to take and pass medical exams in many languages including Urdu, Persian, and Pushtu.
Many mentioned cataracts and eye infections, which was not surprising due to the conditions of the area with its heat, dust, winds, flies, and unsafe water.
[3] In addition to the establishment of many successful hospital, Holland contributed to ophthalmology in his research and development of surgical procedures.
For example, Holland discovered that iridectomy and iridotomy were more effective than drainage procedures in the treatment of closed-angle glaucoma.
[5] Moreover, Holland's specific iridectomy and iridotomy methods were able to remove the danger of the iris prolapsing and, thus, simplify and improve postoperative treatment.
[6] Holland's successful methods were very precisely documented by Dr. Anderson Hilding, who had visited the Shikarpur hospital to learn through observation and experience.
We have had 138 visiting surgeons at our Shikarpur clinic, and I always impress on them that no one should attempt an intracapsular Smith operation until he has done at least 50 or more extracapsular extractions.
Having had 38 years of experience I consider that as far as I am concerned the Smith operation is the best for extraction of ordinary senile cataracts, and is the least traumatic procedure to the eye of any method.Holland retired in March 1948.