About the Author - Destiny?

[Nair Snehalatha]

In Enid Blyton's biography by Barbara Stoney--- it is clearly said how when Enid was just hardly three months old , she was dangerously ill with whooping cough.The doctor looked grave and doubted if the baby girl would survive till morning.But her father refused to accept the doc's opinion and cradled the baby all night--- till the crisis passed in the early hours of the morning.Her father ''exhilarated'' in in this thought that he had saved his daughter's life. This story Enid had always made her father repeat to her.I personally feel that when she was destined to become so famous in life and death God would definitely save her.It was the hands of God that saved her-- her father was just an instrument.

[Julie2owlsdene]

In those days one couldn't get the anti-biotics to many of the infections, and many a child died of diseases that they can cure these days. But if my child had had this disease years ago, and I'd done the same as Enid's father had, cradling her, praying, giving her parental love, then I to would think that I did a great deal to help save my child's life. It's just a parent and child bondage surely. We all know we are in the fate of the Gods, but it's nice to feel that the parents, in this case, Enid's father, had helped and saved his daughter.

In the Beckenham thread you will see a picture of a small bottle of poison, found in the house in Chaffinch Road, which the present owners found whilst doing the house up, which was probably used trying to cure the baby Enid of this illness.

[Nair Snehalatha]

Yes, ofcourse-- Enid adored her father.He did what a very loving parent would do.What I meant was everything in the world moves according to what God has ordained for us.God comes in various forms--- Here He came as Enid's father .Yes; I saw the picture of that bottle of poison--- Could you kindly tell me as I did not understand--- how can that poison cure the whooping cough. ? Was it the same bottle used so many years ago? Thankyou in advance Julie.

[Julie2owlsdene]

It would have been used as an haler for the whooping cough, Snehalatha, or so it said on the rear of the bottle when some of us saw it. So as it was found in the house, and Enid had whooping cough we are just assuming that is what was used. Of course there is no proof of that as such.

[Daisy]

Her father ''exhilarated'' in in this thought that he had saved his daughter's life. This story Enid had always made her father repeat to her.I personally feel that when she was destined to become so famous in life and death God would definitely save her.It was the hands of God that saved her-- her father was just an instrument.

But if my child had had this disease years ago, and I'd done the same as Enid's father had, cradling her, praying, giving her parental love, then I to would think that I did a great deal to help save my child's life. It's just a parent and child bondage surely. We all know we are in the fate of the Gods, but it's nice to feel that the parents, in this case, Enid's father, had helped and saved his daughter.

I think both statements are right. Certainly, as Snehalatha says, one could say her father was an instrument through whom God worked. Equally Julie's statement that her father's love contributed to her survival is surely true too - the loving care her father gave her enabled God's love to reach her more easily.

We don't know if or how the bottle found under the floor in Beckenham was used but as an inhaler some otherwise dangerous substances can work in a situation of crisis. Nowadays, as Julie says, other treatments which are much safer can be used.

[Nair Snehalatha]

Thank you Daisy--- the picture of that bottle takes me back so many, many years back-- not without a deep feeling of nostalgia.

[Moonraker]

This thread is becoming most surreal. It is the skill of surgeons/doctors coupled with the body's healing abilities that cure us, not intervention from some supernatural power. D you really think that a God would single out people whom to "work through", and leave others to their fate, be it illness or other means? After all, he seems quite happy with the terrible suffering that goes on in the world, so why should he spend time healing Enid Blyton?! A friend of ours was a missionary, and went to Africa to spread Christianity. Whilst there, she contacted Aids and died. QED.

[Katharine]

Although I class myself as a Christian, I have to agree that I don't believe God intervenes in cases of illness. If he did, why did he let one of my cousin's premature identical twins live and the other die? I'm afraid I can't honestly believe that the surviving twin is destined to become a world famous author/artist/musician or anything else.

I do however think that Enid's father may have played a part in her recovery. Maybe he instinctively knew how to hold her in the best way for her to cope with the illness that night, possibly another parent would have just accepted the doctor's diagnosis, and made the child comfortable, but left them to die?

[Julie2owlsdene]

This thread is becoming most surreal. It is the skill of surgeons/doctors coupled with the body's healing abilities that cure us.

True, but don't spoil it, for we parents, Nigel. I'd like to think that I'd helped a little bit if I'd cradled my baby for days to help her over her illness.

[Moonraker]

Oh definitely, Julie, I'm a firm believer that "love" (as a parent might transfer) contributes to healing. However, I cannot believe that a several million-year old deity plays a part in the healing process! In your case, Julie, your illness was contained and removed in one piece, so to speak. There wasn't a "hand from the sky" that cured you!

[Nair Snehalatha]

I must say I'm very sorry but I cannot quite agree with what Moonraker says. There is the Divine hand in everything.Everything happens for a reason--- So many innocent people suffer --- we feel God has closed His eyes---- whereas the wicked prosper --- so we think.. but perhaps our past actions have ordained it for us.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Everyone has their own beliefs, Snehalatha, it's our own right to believe in what we want to believe in, but sometimes I think it's best to keep ones beliefs to themselves especially on a forum, as sometimes discussions can get out of hand as we don't always agree with each other.

[Nair Snehalatha]

Yes, ofcourse each one's views are different. I do accept it.

[deepeabee]

In those days one couldn't get the anti-biotics to many of the infections, and many a child died of diseases that they can cure these days. But if my child had had this disease years ago, and I'd done the same as Enid's father had, cradling her, praying, giving her parental love, then I to would think that I did a great deal to help save my child's life. It's just a parent and child bondage surely. We all know we are in the fate of the Gods, but it's nice to feel that the parents, in this case, Enid's father, had helped and saved his daughter.

My neice had whooping cough as a baby of 3 months (before her injections were due) and she nearly died of it. That was only 20 years ago. Anti-biotics don't touch it as it isn't an infection as such, it is a virus. It is still a dangerous disease and could be wiped out, as polio has been, if parents would have their children vaccinated.

[Anita Bensoussane]

My neice had whooping cough as a baby of 3 months (before her injections were due) and she nearly died of it. That was only 20 years ago. Anti-biotics don't touch it as it isn't an infection as such, it is a virus. It is still a dangerous disease and could be wiped out, as polio has been, if parents would have their children vaccinated.

Whooping cough isn't a virus. It's caused by a bacterium, bordetella pertussis, which is why whooping cough is also known as pertussis. My son had the vaccination for it as a baby - part of a multiple immunisation against whooping cough, polio and several other diseases. Unfortunately he reacted very badly to the vaccination (I don't know which part of it) and had high temperatures and convulsions which nearly killed him.

I had a negative experience with the smallpox injection when I was a baby - it brought me out in eczema and allergies which have worsened over the years and are now so bad I've had two lengthy hospital stays within the last six months. For some people certain vaccinations are damaging, but at the moment there don't appear to be any tests available to indicate who is at risk.