William Schauffler Dodd (December 27, 1860 - January 27, 1928) was an American Christian medical missionary and physician who predominantly worked in Asia Minor, particularly in Turkey.
[1] After completing his education, Edward Dodd embarked on a mission trip overseas in Turkey where William was born.
[3] In 1865, his father died while working in Turkey due to cholera, prompting his mother to move his family home to the United States.
Their children were: In 1886, Dodd and his wife traveled to Turkey to begin his missionary work under the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
During the days, he traveled and provided medical care to patients, and in the evenings Dodd held meetings to engage in religious work and ministry.
Despite this, a local governor in Cesarea granted Dodd permission to build a house, which he essentially used as a medical dispensary starting in 1890 at Talas.
In his final year of service, Dodd treated 7,803 patients with approximately three-quarters of them receiving care free of charge.
Dodd and the hospital played a key role in helping save Armenians from deportation and providing relief work to those affected by the war.
[7] The curriculum at the school included extensive practical training, bedside instruction, lectures on anatomy and physiology, and lessons based on their textbook.
Mrs. Dodd played a central role in the religious work, often engaging directly with the patients her husband treated.
[7] Despite the fact that this was a Christian hospital, Dodd made it accessible and appealing to all types of people, especially Armenians and Muslims.
[11] Over 38 years of service, Dodd left a lasting mark on the Cesarea community in Turkey and nursing in general.
Dodd's hospital treated thousands of patients and provided accessible medical care to people of all religions and races, something that was not common at the time.
[6] His religious indifference helped build trust amongst a variety of different groups and expanded the opportunity to spread his evangelism.