Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 471

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Medical Missionary Society,

AUG.

permission for the old house to be reoccupied. It was in contempla- tion to engage another house; but, looking at the uncertain posture of affairs, and the probability of having soon again to close it, that, step was not taken.

Allusion has been made to the removal of Mr. Lockhart from Macao, in August last year, to Chusan, and the meeting will have. pleasure in hearing the interesting report of his operations there. He opened his house, in the town of Chusan, or Tinghae, on the 13th of September; and it was constantly crowded with applicants for me- dical relief from that time till the day of his embarkation, the 22d of February, when the removal of all the British forces from thence of course rendered his longer stay there impracticable. While wait- ing to be guided by the progress of events in the choice of a new station, Mr. Lockhart continues to improve hiinself in a knowledge of the language, and to afford assistance to Mr. Hobson in the care

of the hospital at Macao.

The number of patients that were admitted into the hospital at Canton during the year 1839, was about 800, making an aggregate, since the commencement of the Institution in November, 1835, of about 7000. For the six months of 1840, that it remained open, Dr. Parker has left no report; but the eagerness for medical aid, and thé number of patients, were never greater than at the time he left Can- ton, on the 17th of June. The number of patients admitted to the hospital at Macao, during one month and a half of 1839, and eleven months (from August 1st to June 30th) of 1840-41, was: 1457,- making, with those admitted during three months of 1838, a total of 2150. At Chusan, during of a period of little more than: five months, amid much greater opportunities of free access to the people, the number of patients attended to was 3502.

The treasurer's accounts are submitted to the examination of the meeting. In those exhibited at the first annual meeting in Novem- ber, 1838, after an expenditure, during three quarters, of $1741.85, a balance was shown of $780.71. The expenditures since that date has been $1631.07, and the receipts $2411.98, leaving a balance in the bands of the treasurer, at this date, of $1561.62.

It remains to be observed, that, owing to the departure from China of several office-bearers of the Society, the committee have found it necessary to make some provisional appointments, which they hope will meet the approbation of the meeting. Mr. Wetmore had become treasurer on Mr. Archer's departure from China, when he and Mr. Green, the auditor of accounts, both notified their return