Dr & Sra. Sánchez operating using equipment brought in by the Comstocks
This Newsletter entry from the summer of l968, written by Ray Comstock, gives us insight into one important aspect of how Yerba Buena came to be:
Another long trip with a heavily loaded truck of equipment and medicines is over and we are happy that there were no accidents or serious trouble. Bro. Ray Comstock with Gary and Steve Neuharth arrived at l2 midnight, Thursday, June 27, after a l0-day trip from California. The truck weighed in at 5,360 lbs. on the front axle and l5,640 lbs. on the rear axle making a total of 2l,000 lbs. (l0-l/2 T.) gross. Of this, l4,200 lbs. was the load of equipment, etc.
A complete operating room equipment including table, instruments, lights, anesthetic machine, portable x-ray, etc., etc., as well as steam generator for autoclave, large restaurant-type stove, l/4 ton of electric wire, medicines, etc., were part of the load.
The first l400 miles of the trip were HOT, ll4° at Yuma, ll9° at Gila Bend (in the shade). Out on the highway there was no shade! We had no trouble keeping warm those first 5 days. Then we came to the mountains and we crawled up the mountains and down the mountains. Making this trip with a loaded truck is an experience that one will never forget.
This equipment, medicines, etc., all come into the country duty-free by special permit of the Federal Treasury Department because of the type of work being done by Yerba Buena.