August 15, 1896:
á settlement ought not to be lost, bearing in mind the principle of eternal shuffle which animates the Peking Government. We hope, and we believe we express the opinions of all Englishmen in China, that the British Government will only listen to the tariff proposals of LI HUNG-CHANG on some such terms as those above outlined.
NEW GOVERNMENT Offices and COLONIAL OFFICE OBSTRUCTIO“.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT:
that the excess of revenue over expen- diture during the next few years will be sufficient to defray the cost of the proposed buildings.
THE HONGKONG COLLEGE OF MEDICINE.
I.
116
"that of the sixth standard of the new "Educational Code (Hongkong, 1893);" and "that qualified students be given the title. of Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery of the Hongkong College of Medicine,' to be " contracted 'L.M.S.H,' and be registered as qualified to practise under this title in the colony." Dr. AYRES and Dr. ATKINSON do not agree with the rest of the committee on these points; they say that it is doubtful whether as a rule the facilities afforded in this colony are sufficient to enable students to obtain during a five years' course the standard of efficiency required by the Gen- eral Council under the Medical Act of 1886;
that the title of Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery, Hongkong College of Medicine, would be liable therefore in many cases to convey a false impression, and many of its holders would not be sufficiently qualified to practise medicine and surgery without super- vision; and they recommend that two qualifications should be founded, viz., "native apothecaries,” and “Licentiates in "Medicine and Surgery," the qualifications, or rather conditions, for the latter, being not less than those required by the General Council under the Medical Act; also that the proposed prospectus be referred to the Privy Council in order to ascertain whether they consider it sufficiently comprehensive.
As will be seen from the papers laid on the table of the Legislative Council at its last meeting, the Hon. E. R. BELILIOS has As will be seen from the despatches laid withdrawn his offer of a site and building before the Legislative Council on the 5th for the College of Medicine. The reason August the Secretary of State is in some doubt given is that since he made the offer the as to whether he will allow the colony to have situation has wholly changed. The hon. new Public Offices, and, in the event of his gentleman is at liberty to do what he will giving his assent, he has already decided with his own and had a perfect right to that competitive designs are not to be in withdraw his offer at any time before ac- vited, but that the colony shall be tied down ceptance. Criticism on that point, therefore, to designs to be supplied by the consulting must be confined to the remark that though, architects to the Crown Agents. Messrs. as Mr. BELILIOS says, circumstances have ASTON WEBB and INGRESS BELL were changed, they have not changed in any way the architects of the Birmingham Law that would have rendered his proposed gift Courts, which is a strong recommendation less useful or less acceptable. The Gov- for them, the building in question being a ernment will now have to undertake very fine one, and they are further said to the work of establishing a College with be familiar with the requirements of tro- out the generous assistance which Mr. pical countries', but their association with BELILIOS was prepared to give some the Crown Agents will raise serious mis time ago, and which it is to be re- givings on economical grounds. We be- gretted was not promptly accepted. A lieve that the requirements of the representative committee appointed by H.E. We agree with Dr. AYRES and Dr. ATKIN- case would have been better fulfilled the Governor has reported on the best or- SON that the title of Licentiate in Medicine and at less cost had local architects familiar ganization for a College of Medicine for and Surgery would be misleading unless with local conditions been invited to send in Hongkong, and as they were not asked to the holder had attained the standard of effi- competitive designs, and no misgiving need report on the necessity of such a college ciency required for a similar degree in have been entertained as to the possibility presumably the Government is satisfied on England; and, as there is little prospect of of finding a competent committee in the that point. The existing College of Medi- that standard being attainable locally, the colony to pronounce on the relative ex-
cine for Chinese, which has done excellent proposed entrance examination includ- cellence of the designs. From Messrs. work, is now on the eve of collapse, and the ing neither Latin nor Euclid, it would WEBB and BELL, however, the colony will.Government must perforce take up and probably be safer if the lower qualifi be certain of receiving a pile of buildings carry on the work on more permanent and cation proposed were made the only one that will be an ornament to the place, and broader lines. As Mr. BELILIOS says in his | conferrable by the College. It may be that may possibly prove suitable to the letter to the Governor, the College was taken for granted that before the scheme climate in the interual arrangements, but "warmly supported by Dr. Cantlie and is approved by the Secretary of State it will the ratepayers will no doubt have to pay carefully administered by Dr. Thomson.be referred, as recommended, to the Privy heavily for them, especially as the Crown *The former has left the colony; the Council, and there can be little doubt that Agents are to be associated in the matter.
latter is relinquishing hospital work; and the decision of that body will be adverse to The Secretary of State's objections to the "the other medical practitioners are too the conferring of high-sounding degrees with- competive system are largely discounted," much occupied to take any keen interest out commensurate qualifications. What the totally destroyed in fact, by the circum-
colony really wants is to replace the native stance that the Birmingham Law Courts, to
quacks practising in the place by a class which he refers, are themselves a result of
of men who shall have had some intelligent that system. The right hon. gentlenu
training in medical science; but to establish J
knows all about this, and we are therefore
a College of Medicine conferring degrees led to the conclusion that he signs his des
equivalent to those recognised under the patches AS drafted for him without
English Medical Act appears to be beyond reading them, which indeed is not sur-
our resources. It would be advisable, there- prising, for it would be impossible for any
fore, to confine the scheme to a school 'one man to attend to all the details of
attached to the Civil Hospital, conferring municipal Government in the Crown colo-
degrees corresponding only to the standard nies and to the large questions of Imp-
of the school. Encouragement might at the erial policy that must engage his attention.
same time be afforded to the students by Ás
offering scholarships entitling the winners to further continue their studies in England, where they would have the opportunity of taking any degree for which they could... qualify.
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4
in the institution." At the time the Col- lege was established the weakness of the foundation on which it rested was pointed out in this column, but during the period it has existed it has proved of great value, both directly and as the forerunner of the medical school under Government auspices which, as we hope, is now about to be established.
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We do not see how the Government can escape the obligation that rests upon it. As Mr. BELILIOS truly remarks, It has been shown by the recent out- to the necessity for new Public
breaks of bubonic plague in our midst Offices, a point on which the Secretary and the insanitary condition of the city, of State seems to entertain some doubt, "that the work of educating the Chinese the Governor will probably have little "in sanitation and a belief in Western difficulty in satisfying the right hon. gen "medicine is a work that should be under- tleman. The existing Post Office is wholly "taken by the Government." It has also been inadequate to the requirements of the colony truly said that everything cannot be done and the lack of suitable accommodation by legislation, that something must be leads to delay in the handling of the maila. left to education. It is our duty, and also Whatever may be said of the general our interest, to educate the Chinese in scheme, therefore, there is no doubt a new medical and sanitary science, and to that end Post Office will have to be provided. As to a college or school of medicine is essential. the Supreme Court, justice might no doubt Granted the necessity of such an institution, continue to be administered in the present the question of organisation then presents building, as it has been for many years itself. It is to be hoped the scheme will past, but the building is a disgrace to the not be shipwrecked by launching it on too colony, and if the ratepayers wish to supply ambitious lines, of which there appears to be themselves with a new building more in some danger. The committee appointed by keeping with the purpose for which it is used the Governor recommend in their report we fail to see on what ground the Secretary of "that the minimum period of study be five State can object. As to the financial part of " years, and that before commencing study the question, the Colonial Treasurer will no
"all candidates be required to pass an doubt be able to supply figures showing" entrance arts examination not lower than
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II.
The following points seem worthy of notice in the report of the Committee on Medical Education in Hongkong. In the title of the College the word "Chinese" has been struck out. The future College would be open to all Hongkong young men and not solely to Chinese. The Portuguese, Eura- sian, Indian, and European community could, if they so desired, share in its benefits. A change is also proposed in the localisation of the College. The voluntary organisation heretofore existing as a College has had its head-quarters in the Alice Memorial, and Nethersole Hospitals. It is now proposed to place it in the Civil Hospital, where the patients are of every race and creed and class and where students could learn by