Old Hong Kong-3 — Page 69

COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

Reference was made the other day to the Hongkong College of Medicine, of which Dr. Francis Clark was Dean up to the time of its incorporation with the Hongkong University (see 29-12-33). The history of this old medical school, the first of its kind in the Colony, should be given.

The Hongkong College of Medicine for Chinese was founded in 1887, largely through the efforts and enthusiasm of Dr. Patrick Manson, Dr. James Cantlie, the Rev. Dr. Chalmers, and Dr. William Young. The purpose of the college was the teaching of medicine, surgery and midwifery to Chinese and such others as might avail themselves of the privilege it offered; mainly as a "feeder" in connexion with the Alice Memorial Hospital, which had been founded in 1886 and opened on February 17, 1887,

a memorial to the first wife (Miss Alice Whitcombe) of Dr. (afterwards Sir) Ho Kai, who had the distinction of being a qualified doctor as well as a barrister-at-law. He defrayed the building expenses of the hospital, funds being donated as well by the London Missionary Society and the Hon. Mr. E.R. Belilios, and the institution was thus set on a sound basis.

It was intended as a place where Chinese could get the benefits of western treatment.

The old records of the College of Medicine show that it had its headquarters in the above-named hospital, most of the students being resident there or in the affiliated Nethersole Hospital.

The Hongkong Telegraph of October 11, 1887, has a reference to the first public meeting in connexion with the forming of the College of Medicine, held in the City Hall on October 1, that year.

The inaugural address was delivered by Dr. Patrick Manson, first Dean of the College. On the platform were H.E. the Acting Governor, Major-General Jameron, Hon. Mr. F. Stewart, rector of the College and Drs. Young, Gerlach, Ho Kai, Jordan and Cantlie; Surgeon-General Lewer and Drs. Thompson and Scanlon of the Army Medical Staff, the Rev. J. Chalmers, Mr. W.E. Crow, Government Analyst, Mr. C. Ford, Dr. J.W. Noble, and Mr. J.J. Francis.

Dr. Manson in the course of his address remarked that although Hongkong had been a Crown Colony since 1841 and its population and prosperity had increased, and although hospitals for the treatment of the Chinese had been established for years, it was not until that year that a hospital devoted to the treatment of Chinese on foreign principles had been opened. He referred of course to the Alice Memorial Hospital, which had been opened that year.

He pointed out that the Government Civil Hospital had associations of a kind not pleasing to the native mind, being too rigidly foreign in its

discipline.

The College was intended to train Chinese on the spot in western medical science.

It was Dr. Manson, therefore, who organised and actually started the College. The movement was warmly taken up by the public, and genuinely supported. Scholarships were given, the first donations towards same being awarded by the German Consul. After Dr. Manson, the College had Dr. James Cantlie as Dean, and Dr. Clark filled the post from 1897 onwards.

By 1901, a total of 57 students had been enrolled, but it is recorded that of these 21 had retired on finding the examinations more severe than they anticipated, or for other reasons; 24 were then still engaged in study at various stages of the curriculum; while 12 had successfully passed all their examinations and been licensed (L.M.S.H.). The earliest of these, destined to become the most famous, was Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

In the Hongkong Telegraph of October 10, 1888, appear the following most interesting results of the first examination in the five-year course.