A Very Peruvian Practice

When John Lane arrived for a six-week stay as adviser to the Ladies' Health Care Clinic of Lima, he expected his work would soon be done. But he was still to find himself there almost two years later...'Our clinic is mainly for the expecting woman', La Senora explained. But as yet there was no lift between the delivery room and the wards, so business was limited. As the Clinic staggered from financial difficulty to total insolvency, the author found himself caught up in the rhythms of Peruvian life, and in La Senora's whirlwind shopping expeditions to various parts of Peru. John Lane's account of life with the irrepressible Senora and the unconventional staff of the Clinic opens a unique window on Peruvian politics, society and culture.