Certificates, which will be found in the annexed extract from local paper, will be read by Your Lordship with much interest, as the study of European Medicine and surgery by Chinese is a new departure, and important results in promoting good feeling between us and the Chinese may have.
I have the honour to be, My Lords,
Your Lordship's Most Obedient humble Servant,
Mark
28th May, 18...
Enclosure 1. 3rd June, 1886.
# THE ALICE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
## ITS HISTORY.
The foundation stone of the Alice Memorial Hospital was laid this afternoon by H. E. The Acting Governor, the Hon. W. H. Marsh. The event marks the first definite step in the way of alleviating the sufferings of the poorer natives by placing within their reach gratuitous medical treatment on Western and truly scientific principles, and it is to be hoped that it also marks the beginning of a medical school in this Colony in which promising native lads may be taught the true science of medicine.
The need for such an institution and above all for having trained native Doctors has been long felt, but other schemes have so engrossed public attention that the idea was left in abeyance or put aside till a more convenient season. No one who knows the mischief done by the empirical and haphazard treatment of the native practitioners and the dangers to which the community might be exposed by the spread of an epidemic, but will admit that one of the greatest benefits that could be bestowed on the natives would be the formation of an efficient staff of native medical doctors thoroughly trained in Western practice. At present Chinese doctors are as a rule mere quacks, who do not even require to pass examinations in the crude ideas of the science entertained by the Chinese.
It is some four years ago since the scheme of a free public hospital began to be actively canvassed. About that time Dr Ho Kai returned from England and earnestly interested himself in the movement. He found Dr W. Young generously giving his services gratuitously at the Chapel of the London Mission Society and at the meeting place at Taiping-shan. To him Dr Ho Kai expressed his conviction that the founding of a public hospital was the only way of meeting in anything like a satisfactory manner the clamant necessity of the large population. In this belief Dr Young thoroughly concurred, and these gentlemen worked for some time together maturing their plans till the return of Dr Chalmers from England, whom they associated in the work. In the course of a year, although surrounded with many difficulties, the project began to take shape, and a Committee, consisting of these three gentlemen and Sir George Phillippo, Dr Stewart, Mr J. S. Cox (of Messrs Lane, Crawford & Co.), Mr. MacConachie, Mr Jackson, Mr A. P. MacEwen, Mr E. R. Belilios and Dr Manson, was formed.
For a time it appeared that their labours were to bear some immediate result and arrangements were being made for taking over the property of Mrs D. R. Caldwell situated in Hollywood Road. Other schemes, however, interposed in the way, and finally the committee broke up. The scheme of an hospital then lay in abeyance for several months till Dr Ho Kai introduced the very generous resolve of providing for a memorial hospital as a lasting remembrance of his wife. His efforts were seconded by the London Missionary Society, and Dr Chalmers also put his whole soul into the movement. Eventually the site in Hollywood Road was secured and the work of clearing the ground for the hospital begun. It is this hospital—the Alice Memorial Hospital of which the foundation stone has been laid to-day, and which has now been handed over to the London Mission Society on condition that it be permanently used as a free public hospital open to every nationality and every religion, and that it be managed and supported by the Society.
The hospital, it is expected, will be completed by the end of this year. For the first year of its existence the work carried on will be of a tentative character and will perhaps entirely consist of practice work. Should the labours in the building prove successful and are rightly appreciated by the community, it is hoped that at the beginning of 1888 the managers may be able to open a clinical school, where students will be trained for three years in the various branches of medical science. Already arrangements have been made with the trustees of the Belilios medical scholarship to have two boys in the Central School put aside, if possible next week, for this career. And if the committee of gentlemen who are to manage the Institution succeed in getting these boys, they may be able to make some start in the teaching work next year. This work—the spreading of medical knowledge is the very essence of the scheme, and it is only on account of the limited resources at the command of the committee that they are not able to proceed at once in a comprehensive spirit with the chief object they have in view.
The Hospital will accommodate, at the lowest estimate, 80 beds, and may be made to hold in case of need 100 beds without inconvenience. Four medical men have voluntarily offered their services for the Institution — Dr Manson, Dr Young, Dr Hartigan, and Dr Jordan; and Dr Poate has placed his services at the disposal of the Committee as a consulting dentist. Besides those treated in the hospital as in-door patients, advice and medicine will be given to out-door patients in the department on the basement floor set apart for this work. On this floor there is a suite of rooms for male and for female patients, and it is calculated that as many as from 100 to 150 patients may be treated here every day. Each doctor will take his day of this work and give his services during certain specified hours.
The duties of carrying out this noble and laudable enterprise will devolve on two Committees, the medical committee and the finance committee. The medical committee consists of the four medical gentlemen above mentioned, associated with whom are Dr Chalmers and Dr Ho Kai. To this committee will be entrusted the whole internal management of the hospital and the treatment of patients. The duties of the Finance Committee will be more of a consultative character. They will call at the Hospital two or three times a year and to them all financial matters will be referred, the supreme voice in the management, however, being vested in the London Missionary Society through Dr Chalmers. A Chinese surgeon will be in charge of the place, and the Committee are already in treaty with an assistant to Dr Manson, who has been in his service for 10 years. This official will be in some measure responsible for the order and discipline maintained in the place and will be always at hand to give assistance.
To the London Society who have contributed some $14,000 for the site, to Dr Ho Kai ...