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EYE DISEASES AMONG CHINESE.
The Gazette contains a report by Dr. G. M. Harston on the Ophthalmic Department of Tung Wah Hospital in which he states that the objects of the department are twofold:-(1) The relief of the appalling amount of suffering from eye disease existing amongst the Chinese. (2.) The practical training of Chinese students of medicine in this special subject to enable them more effectually to relieve their afflicted fellow countrymen.
With regard to the first of these objects, it bas always been the pinion of oculists at home and on the continent that Egypt was par excellence the country where eye diseases flourish most. A slight acquaintance with the Chinese calls for a modification of this opinion. The Egyptian Government has recently made most laudable endeavours to cope more effectually with the ravages of eya disease more especially with the infectious opthalmias by instituting a system of travelling hospitals and
these have been a great success.
of
our
In Hongkong these infectious ophthalmias are always extraordinarily prevalent. I may mention here that in 195 I made a systematic examination of the eyes of the children in three institutions in large charitable Hongkong, the result was the astounding revelation that over 70 per cent, of the children were affected with Trachoma. I considered it my duty to make a report on the subject to the Sanitary Board. The Board was interested but hrank from adding to its many labours. only add that, should the Government, which at present is evlucing such interest in Hygiene as far as school children are concerned, ever desire to deal with the subject, my services if wished for, will be, as far as the exigencies of private practice permit, at His Excellency's disposal,
I can
The infectious ophthalmias have formed the bulk of eye diseases treated during the year. This obtains at all eye hospitals but the relative proportion of those attending at the Tang Wal Hospital for these complaints is far higher than is the case at say the London eye hospitals, not even excepting the Royal London (Moorfields. Ophthalmic Hospital which is on certain days innundated with immigrants dumped in East London.
are
The main causes of blindness in the Chinese Trachoma and birth ophthalmia. It is pitiful to see the ravages of these diseases. In Hongkong of the two causes trachoma is the more frequent. I have now under treatment a Post Office employé (sent by Mr. L. A. M. Johnston) who in another two months would most certainly have lost his sight from old standing trachoma. This man was going about his work showing the disease broadcast every individual using the same towels or basin as this man would in all probability develope trachoma and, if untreated, would ran a con. siderable risk of partial or total blindness. I mention this not as an alarmist (though it is high time somebody sounded the alarm in Hongkong) buat merely to call attention to a state of affairs which would not be allowed to
exist for a moment in England-where in fact children suffering form trachoma are sent to special schools and are not allowed to attend the ordinary schools.
We have then here in Hongkong a disease flourishing which causes in many cases (not in all but in the majority) partial blindasss and sometimes total blindas58.
KI
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE KOREÁN EMPEROR
ABDICATES.
Telegrams to the Daily Press dated Tokyo, July 20th said :-
The Emperor of Korea has abdicated the throne.
In a message to the Korean people Yi Fin Rays he has occupied the throne forty years, but owing to the incompetence of his ministers he regrets that the country has gone from bad to worse. He therefore vacates the throne
in favour of the Crown Princa.
Viscout Hayashi, the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, arrived at Seoul on Thursday evening.
Prior to Viscount Hayashi's arrival the Emperor repeatedly asked Marquis Ito (the Resident-General) to come to him. Marquis Ito finally yielded to this request and went to the Palace. He listened to the Emperor's pleadings but refrained from making any state-
ment.
Subsequently at night the Cabinet Ministers met in the throne room and advised the Emperor to abdicate. His Majesty, however, stubbornly opposed the suggestion throughout the night, but yielded at six o'clock this morn- ing.
The Decree was then published,
It is now known that the Seoul Ministers decided on their own initiative to recommend the
Emperor to abdicate, and that Marquis Ito, the Resident-General, had no knowledge of it
In audience later with the Emperor, the Resident General declined to answer pressing questions as to Japan's policy. The attitude and tone maintained by Marquis Ito convinced the Emperor that he had completely forfeited all confidence in his good faith.
The abdication of Yi Fia is regarded as only a first step towards a solution of the problem presented by Korean affairs. It means also an upheaval in political circles. The principal streets of Saoul on Friday were filled with excited crowds.
THE DETHRONED EMPEROR OF
KOREA.
dethroned monarch of Korea is taken from an The following biographical sketch of the old number of the Korean Repository, a journal which was for some years published at Seoul by the missionaries :-
The twenty-eighth Monarch of the Yi or present dynasty first saw the light of day in the summer of 1852, (the year Imcha, seventh moon and 25th day) at the Un Hyen Koong, Seoul, where his aged parenta still live in retirement.
He is the second son of Prince Yi, who had the
rank of Heang Sun Kua, the first or highest, but who is known better by the title of Tai Won Kun.
Much confusion exists in the popular mind about the relations His Majesty the King
sustains to his father, the National Grand Duke or Tai Won Kan. That is, most people fail to see why the son should be king and not the father. A few words may suffice to explain. The Queen Dowager Cho who died in 1891 was the Queen of King Ik Chong, who died when he was but twenty-two years of age. His son succeeded to the throne and lives in history as Huo Chong. After a reign of about fifteen years, he died without male issu- and the scepter passed to Chul Chong, a younger brother of Ik Chong. The line thus remained unbroken. After a reign of fourteen years Chul Chong died in 1864 with out male issue. He had a daughter, we may say in passing, who was married to Pak Yong Ho. The line was now broken.
This disease is preventable. His Majesty King Edward in another connection uttered the now famous words. If preventable, why not prevented?" Further comment is unnecessary. In a small way one has done what one can to check the spread and stamp out existing disease referred to are concerned, and thanks to heartylation secured the royal seals and, after consult. and efficient co-operation, one's efforts have been in the main successful.
as far as the three charitable institutions before
The aprecia ion by the Chinese of the ophthalmic department is best shown by the following two fuo:s: - A Chinese doctor at the hospital tie., mploying bin se method-) ss t his dau hter fi trøstment «nd (nother m-mbər of the Chinese Med cal Staff came for treatm at himself much to the delight of the other patients as sʊon as they discovered his iden âty.
The Queen of Ik Chong after some manipu.
(July 22, 1907.
healthy, and bright child, was a great [favorite of the Queen Dowager. His Majesty, when only in his 3th year, was thus called to bs King of Chosen, in the year Kap Cha -1864.
The early years of the young Prince were spent in a mauner not unlike that of any yoũng Korean of royal blood. His family was not among the wealthy ones of the land, and it is related that thongh in humble circumstances he was indifferent to it, believing, as by a sort of intuition, that he would one day ill an in- fluential position in his country. An interesting story is told of his visit, when a mere lad, to a book-binder in the neighbourhood. The binder presented him with a calendar bound ia blue paper and playfully remarked that payment was to be made after he had attained an eminent position. The book was accepted on these conditions, taken houe and memorised. Years afterwards, so the story runs, when the young Prince had been proclaimed king, he remembered the old book-binder and the conditions on which he received the calendar, and rewarded him liberally. The story may be tra or not, but it shows two characteristics that are prominent in His Majesty-kindness and a good memory.
classical
the
The young Prince received the usual Chinese education imparted in private schools.
Was He
fond of books and mide good progress in his studies. The names of three of his teschers are given, the first was of the name of Pyen; the second and his name was Ko Syuk. The third teacher, from the literary province of Choung-chung
8
man of the Yi family, with the title of Chinga, probably a Bachelor's degree, was with the Prince for a longer time than the other two, and made a deeper and more lasting im- pression upon him. His faithful services as instructor of the future King were later bis oldest son was given the degree of Tai recognized in appointing him a magistrate, Kwa, or Great Degree, and his second son that of Syo Kwa, or Smaller Degree.
Many pleasant stories are told of the king as a boy. It is said he was foud of sports, was a general favorite among his playmates among whom were included all the boys of the vioi- nity, and that he was a popular leader among
them.
During his minority his father swayed the scepter as Regent, well earning the description given him by a native writer, that he had "bowels of iron and a heart of stone;" and he ruled with such vigor for a period of ten years, from the year Kapoba until Kayyou, that his name is by no means forgotten even to this day. The young king, while he had had his hair put up in the top-knot and at the same time, në S matter of course, put on the hat, was not married when he became the adopted son of Queen Dowager Cho; it is stated by some that for eight months, and by others for thirteen, the Queen Dowager hold supreme power. The young king was married in 1866 (Pyengin) to Princess Min, the only daughter of Min Chi Rok, who was given, after the accession of the Queen, the posthumous title of the Yeo Sung Bu Won Kun-Prince of the City of Yuju, Father-in-law of the King. She was born in Yuju, in the year Sinhai, 9th Moon and 25th day, and was therefore about a year older than her husband, the King. Her family was of high degree, but her father was not wealthy and in fact never held any high office and died some years before his daughter was selected as the Royal Consort. She was a second cousin of the wife of the Tai Won Kun who also belongs to the Minolan, and no doubt her selection was made by the Tai Won Kun with the Idea of strengthening his own influence, believing, as he did, that with his son as King and the Queen member of his wife's clan, his position as virtual, if not nominal ruler, would be made secure and be perpetusted. But in this the Tai Won Kun was most wofully disappointed not knowing the well recognised "Taw fa philosophy that when two foreas come in con- tact the weaker always gives way to the stronger. The Qien was a wɔman of great natural ability mal form of character," sɗd s ou bga to exercise a commsn ling infants contigned in the affairs of the nation whic antil she was murdered on the 8th of October, 1.95.
tation with some of the courtiers, nominated the second son of the Tai Won Kan for the throne. This was done by adopting him as the son of her d-ce sed hu-band. The older brother, Yi Chai Myer, who still resides wit⋅ his father had Ires ly pissed the u«nal examiɑstions sa-i been given flosì puzition, so, as it is said, he could not be oko 8 ‹. We dubt whether this very plausible reason was the real nas for pas | sing him be, it bring generally und ·rato-d that Not a great while after she begaɔ Quoin,
his younger brother, who was a very bandaɔme, / the relations between her and her father-in-law-
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