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WITNESS-I do not think it is desirable to have any foreign practitioner in the Hospital. This is purely a Chinese hospital. When it was proposed to establish a hospital, meetings of the Chinese were held, and after consultation with Mr. LISTER, who was then Registrar General, the scheme was submitted to the Government, and it was agreed, with the approval of the Secretary of State, that everything in the Hospital should be Chinese, that the Chinese were to be treated by Chinese doctors and Chinese medicines, and that no interference was to take place by the Government except to look after the cleanliness of the Institution. It has been carried on for twenty-five years now, and has given satisfaction to the Chinese public. That is the reason why there are so many people ready to subscribe to it. Some people have been asking why there are so many deaths in the Hospital. They forget that the people who go to this Hos- pital are mostly coolies who go there at the last moment when suffering from disease in order that they may be buried decently.
THE PRESIDENT-One of the chief objects of the Hospital was to make it a place for the reception of patients at the point of death?—Yes, but not altogether; that accounts for the large mortality.
I understand you are not in favour of any person who has been trained in Western medical science being appointed to the Hospital?--I am not in favour of such an appointment.
If that is not done how would you propose that the Government should be furnished with correct reports of the deaths in the Hospital ?—I understand the records are sub- mitted to the Registrar General daily and monthly. The causes of death are reported and translated in the Registrar General's Office.
But these are the causes as given by the Chinese doctors?—Yes.
Supposing these are not considered reliable by those responsible for the public health ?---Then if the Government is not pleased the matter is in the hands of the Government to do as they like. The Tung Wa Hospital has been well conducted for twenty-five years, and I do not see why we should have anything introduced now to interfere with the management of the Institution. We depend for the maintenance of the Hospital upon the subscriptions from the Chinese, and if any change is made these subscriptions will cease.
If the return of deaths made by the doctors of the Tung Wa Hospital be not considered satisfactory the steps that should be taken to remedy this should in your opinion be left entirely to the Government?—If the Government thinks that, I do not think the Directors have anything to say.
Do you think that if a Chinese trained in Western methods were appointed to the Hospital for the purpose of giving correct death returns that would have any effect upon the subscriptions?—If it is only to do that, without interfering with the treatment of the patients, I do not know exactly whether it would affect the subscriptions; but if his duty is entirely for that purpose how could he ascertain the cause of death? If the Chinese doctors said it was one thing and the Western doctor said it was another there would be a difference of opinion and how could you make up your returns ?
Mr. THOMSON-The Chinese doctor need not know what the other doctor reports; it would be sent direct to the Government.
WITNESS Then the Hospital would not have to report at all except through this man ?-Yes:
Dr. Ho KAI-The man does not treat the patient, but only sets down what he diagnoses as the cause of death. When a patient dies he will examine the patient. He will report to the Government and will certify, independent of the Hospital authorities, that the patient has died of such and such a disease, but you understand he has nothing to do with the treatment of the patient?--I think it is very queer for one man to treat a patient and another man to report upon the cause of death.