Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 692

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Dr. Ho KAI-Is there any surgical case removed from the Tung Wa Hospital to the Civil Hospital which has done badly or died, after operation or before ?—I think there has been one that died. I am not certain, but I will let you know.

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It may be matter of opinion, perhaps, but I should like to know whether Dr. ATKINSON does not think it would be an improvement if some one who could speak the native language were employed at the Tung Wa Hospital-one who could speak to these patients and tell them about the superiority of the European method of treating these cases; whether it would not be a good thing and lead to patients voluntarily submitting themselves to European treatment? I mean Chinese educated in European medicine. Would it not be a good thing for the Hospital? That is being done now, by Mr. U I KAI, my interpreter, who has been trained at the Chinese College of Medicine and at the Government Civil Hospital. The arrangement at present is that I visit the Hospital every morning with Mr. U I Kai, and see all cases which have come in during the previous twenty-four hours. I ask him to explain to the patients when I think it advisable that they should be transferred to the Government Civil Hospital, and ask whether they will consent to come in or not. If they consent, they come; but since the present Committee was appointed I cannot help thinking that the patients are influenced by some of the people in authority, because nearly every one of the surgical cases that I have recommended transfer to the Govern- ment Civil Hospital since the present Committee was appointed has refused to come into the Civil Hospital. The cases that have come in since the present Committee was appointed are almost all medical cases.

Mr. WHITEHEAD-When was the Committee appointed ?-In November, 1895.

Dr. Ho KaI-Do you think it would be better if U I KAI were not attached to the Civil Hospital, but attached to the Tung Wa Hospital entirely, so as to do away with the official character he may appear to bear at present. If he goes round with you he will be regarded by the patients and others as your mouthpiece, but if detached would it not disarm them of some of the prejudice shown towards the removal of patients to the Civil Hospital?-It might be an improvement, but it is dubious. He asks the patients there in his own language, and I do not suppose the patients know he has anything to do with me.

But he goes round with you and the Directors know he is attached to the Civil Hospital ?--It might be better if I had a Chinaman who was not attached to the Civil Hospital.

1 mean to suggest that a Chinese trained in Western medicine should be employed in the Tung Wa Hospital as one of their own doctors, because if he were to ask the patients to go to the Civil Hospital it would have more weight with them. It would be of very slight importance.

Mr. WHITEHEAD-How many Chinese doctors are there in attendance daily at the Tung Wa Hospital ?-Some eight or nine; I do not know the exact number.

Mr. THOMSON-What recommendations do you make about the transfer of surgical cases ?-As we have not the right to transfer serious cases to the Government Civil Hospital, I think the only way to improve matters would be to appoint a European medical officer in charge of the Hospital, i.e., that the Hospital should be distinctly under the management and supervision of a European doctor, as is the case in the native hospital at Singapore. I have thought over the matter very carefully, and I do not know of any other step that would be satisfactory. If a Chinaman trained in European medicine were appointed in charge of the Tung Wa Hospital, he would not be in a sufficiently strong position to materially improve matters. The only thing is to appoint a European Medical Officer attached preferably to the Government Medical Department, and to let him have sole control as I have in the Government Civil Hospital.