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During your term of office you had some surgical cases coming into the Hospital ?— We had one or two which were sent to the Civil Hospital or the Alice Memorial Hospital.
If a patient comes in with a surgical complaint and wishes to have a Western doctor to attend him do you send for a European doctor ?—Yes, we ask the patient whom he would prefer. When I was a Director we had no objection when the patient selected a European doctor.
There was a case of a coolie working at some rice godowns, who sustained a fractured leg and was taken to the Tung Wa Hospital, and afterwards removed to the Government Civil Hospital and had his leg taken off. Have you heard of that case?—Yes; I was told a European doctor came and had a look at his leg and ordered him to be sent up to the Government Civil Hospital, and before the relatives or the Tung Wa Directors could interfere the man's leg was amputated. The man's relatives and children go frequently to the Hospital now and give trouble to the Directors and say they had no right to amputate the man's leg without his consent and that he could not get his living to support his family.
Mr. THOMSON-I understand the man himself is pleased ?—I do not know that.
In answer to Dr. Ho KAI, Witness stated that occasionally lepers were sent down to the Tung Wa Hospital from the Police Station.
THE PRESIDENT-I do not think that is the case now; lepers are invariably sent to Canton.
WITNESS-I know of two cases that were sent down during my term of office and we had great difficulty in getting rid of them. Occasionally the Police sent poor people down to the Hospital to be fed and also people with incurable diseases.
THE PRESIDENT-There is a rule that no incurable person can be admitted, and the Committee of the Tung Wa Hospital have refused to take in cases which the doctors said· were incurable. It is laid down in the rules of the Hospital that no leper, no blind person, and no one suffering from an incurable disease is to be admitted. I myself have several times addressed queries to the Hospital Committee, asking why they have refused to take in cases, and the reply has been that the person was regarded as incurable.
Mr. WHITEHEAD- Are you aware whether before the year 1894, when plague was raging, the Government ever removed any patients from the Tung Wa Hospital to the Civil Hospital?-By request of the patient or the Directors, yes, but not by order of the Colonial Surgeon.
Mr. Ho AMEI, Secretary of the On Tai Insurance Company.
THE PRESIDENT-You were on one occasion Chairman of the Tung Wa Hospital Committee?-Yes, about ten years ago.
Perhaps you are aware that this Commission has been appointed to inquire into the Hospital, and it was thought that you having had experience of it would be able to give us some information. Is the Hospital, so far as you are aware, carried on now in the same manner as when you were Chairman ?--I think it is with the exception that it is at present subjected to the supervision of the Colonial Surgeon and the Committee has not a free hand in the management of its own affairs as heretofore.
I do not know whether you are aware that a suggestion has been made that it might facilitate matters if a Chinese trained in Western medicine were appointed to look after the register of deaths, and, if requested, to give treatment to the patients.
WITNESS-How requested?
Dr. Ho KAI-If the Chinese Directors requested him?