CO129-487 - Others & Individuals - 1924 — Page 170

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treatment by western methods: readiness to enter Hospitals

for Western treatment will no doubt follow in due course,

when the fears of the Western treatment itself have been

removed: but it is difficult to see how greater success

or more rapid progress could have been secured by any

methods other than those adopted. It is only too easy to

frighten a native community, and to progress backwards;

it must be educated to new ideas very gently, with all

the local knowledge and experience available and most

especially is this the case in any question that affects

the women and children.

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It should be added that the Chinese Public Dispenseries

is a Chinese Institution, financed by voluntary contribu-

tions (except for a Government grant of $2,000 a year)

and managed by an active Committee of prominent Chinese

under the Chairmanship of the Secretary for Chinese

Affairs. The idea has always been carefully fostered

among the Chinese that it is our own place run by our

own people to whom we can always readily appeal or com-

plain" and with an absolute minimum of govemment

interference.

2.

The effect of this careful policy has lately

been shown in the new steps it has been found possible to

take. Room was found in one of the Dispensaries for a

Matemity Hospital under the same management, except that

Mrs. Hickling (a lady doctor with full British qualifica-

tions and a knowledge of Chinese: ex Church Missionary

Society) was put in supervising charge by the Government

direct. The experiment has been very carefully handled

indeed for some four or five years; and has now become

an unqualified success. I regret my memory fails at the

figures my Annual Reports are not with me. The success

was

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