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Have you known of deaths there from want of medical and surgical knowledge on the part of the so-called Chinese doctors ?--Well, supposing a man would not have hist leg cut off or properly treated under any consideration whatever it does not matter whether he is treated by a European or a Chinese.
Has the Tung Wa served as a refuge or poor-house for destitute Chinese who are not sick-in other words, is the Tung Wa, in reality, not a poor-house?—There are no cases admitted which are not in a debilitated condition. A Chinaman does not go to hospital so long as he can do some sort of work.
What class of Chinese make use of the Tung Wa?-Mostly the poorer class, but I have seen the better class of shopkeepers sent there to die. When they are sent there they are generally in a hopeless state, and die within forty-eight hours after admission.
Does the Tung Wa serve any other useful purpose than a refuge for the destitute and indigent ?-It serves considerable use in the amount of vaccination the doctors carry out.
Dr. Họ KAI-Your previous answer was that it was much better than to have the people treated in their own homes?—I say distinctly they are very much better off in the Tung Wa Hospital in the majority of cases than they would be in their own houses.
The President—Can you suggest any means of improving the place gradually without taking it out of the hands of the Chinese ?—Nothing as regards treatment, but I think a little more regard might be had to the bedding and clothing. This might be done, I think, with the funds at the disposal of the Committee of Management. In the old time the Committee was much more careful. I am speaking of the first ten years after the opening of the hospital. You can see in the Macao Hospital that they are much better off there than we are here in the Tung Wa, and they are much more careful of the clothing, etc.
Is it desirable to have a European resident superintendent or steward in the Tung Wa to supervise or superintend the Hospital buildings generally and see to the preser- vation of cleanliness and the observance of proper sanitary precautions; not interfering with the medical treatment but simply observing and reporting ?--A European attendant is necessary to see that cleanliness is properly observed. It is too much to dignify the post with the name of Superintendent or Steward.
What are your views as to the proposal to put a Chinese adequately trained in Western medical science into the Tung Wa, not to interfere in any way with the treatment but to examine each case as it comes in, ascertain the disease, and keep a register of deaths, reporting daily to the Colonial Surgeon on the latter's visits?-It would be a very good thing to have one of these young native doctors there, but he cannot be trusted without a European surgeon to verify the cases afterwards. UI-KAI is counted to be a smart fellow, and he is very useful indeed in the Government Civil Hospital. I took him round and used to tell him to diagnose a case on his own account. He has examined a man whom I could see was suffering from typhoid fever, and has told me after feeling his pulse that he had no fever. In that case I suggested using the thermometer, and as it was no use testing by putting in the mouth, I suggested that he should place the thermometer under the arm-pits, and the thermometer ran up up to 1061°.
If a Chinese acquainted with Western medical science was placed in the Hospital, your opinion is then that he would require constant supervision on the part of a European doctor?-Certainly.
What is your opinion as to the proposal to insist upon the gradual supercession of the so-called Chinese doctors now in the Hospital by Chinese trained in Western medical science? If you do that you will shut up the Tung Wa altogether. The Chinese Committee has obeyed the contract regarding the management of the Hospital.