Pagina 13 van fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) c. 1924 - 1925

This photograph by J.W. Meyster is part of an album documenting the General Association of Rubber Planters on the East Coast of Sumatra. It likely dates to the early 20th century. The image depicts a hospital ward, filled with beds and patients, under the care of medical staff. Made in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, it speaks to the economic structures of colonialism. Sumatra was a key site for rubber production, a commodity that fueled industrial economies in Europe and North America. The hospital becomes a visual representation of colonial power, highlighting both the paternalistic care provided to workers and the underlying economic exploitation. To fully understand this image, we need to research the history of rubber plantations in Sumatra, colonial labor practices, and the medical facilities provided to workers. By doing so, we can better understand the complex social conditions that shaped this image.