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Meeting held 29th January, 1895,
Present:-Dr. KNOTT, Deputy-Inspector-General, R.N.H., Chairman.
Surgeon-Colonel A. F. PRESTON.
Hon. A. McCoNACHIE.
Dr. JAMES CANTLIE.
Mr. J. THURBURN.
Dr. CHUNG, Alice Memorial Hospital, called.
THE PRESIDENT.-Dr. CHUNG, tell us, if you have formed any idea, why the Chinese do not make more use of the Government Civil Hospital than they do.
Dr. CHUNG.—In the first place they prefer their own to foreign medicines; in the second place, they speak English at the Government Civil Hospital, and in the third place, the Chinese cannot afford to pay the fees.
Dr. CANTLIE.-What do you mean by saying they can't pay the fee ?
Dr. CHUNG. Because at the Government Civil Hospital a fee of 20 cents or 40 cents a day is charged.
Dr. PRESTON.-The coolie class pay nothing.
Dr. CANTLIE. That is if they go voluntarily, I suppose ?
Dr. CHUNG. Very few go there voluntarily.
Dr. CANTLIE.-But suppose a man on board a boat were to turn sick, it never occurs to him to go to the Government Civil Hospital ?
Dr. CHUNG.-No; he would go to the Tung Wah or to the Alice Memorial Hospital.
Dr. CANTLIE.-The Chinese, as a rule, do not know that the Civil Hospital is open to them ?
Dr. CHUNG.--They do not know,
Dr. PRESTON.-But is it not a fact that they have more faith in their own medicines than in European medicines?
Dr. CHUNG.--Certainly.
Mr. MCCONACIIE.-Do you know of any reason why they do not know they can go to the Civil Hospital without being charged?
Dr. CHUNG.-No; I cannot say.
Dr. CANTLIE. Have you never heard that the reason is they are afraid of the post · mortem ?
Dr. CHUNG.-One reason is that they are afraid of the knife.
Dr. PRESTON.-Would they not be operated on in the Tong Wah?
Dr. CHUNG.-Never.
Dr. CANTLIE.-They are operated in the Alice Memorial Hospital?
Dr. CHUNG.-Yes.
But the instruments have to be explained to them.
Mr. THUREURN.--But those who go to the Alice Memorial Hospital go there voluntarily?
Dr. CHUNG.Yes.