Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 696

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Dr. Ho KAI-How many Chinese patients have you as a general rule in the Civil Hospital?—I should say we have between 50 and 60, roughly speaking.

Are those there voluntarily or are they brought in by the Police ?-Some are brought in by the Police; some come of their own accord, and some are Chinese lukongs.

Have you room for more ?-Our accommodation is limited, we have had to refuse a great many Chinese because we have not had room.

They all come in free, of course ?--No; cases of surgical injuries come in from the docks, and from ships, and they pay 50 cents per day. Only destitutes are treated free and Police cases.

Suppose Chinese were to come to the Civil Hospital and wanted to be treated, and said they could not pay, would you receive them?—Certainly; I should not send

any away, provided we had accommodation for them and they were ill.

And Europeans have a right to send their Chinese servants there now without paying. Would you receive them without charging ?--That is done frequently. Lately there have been many more Chinese patients coming to the Hospital, and we had to open another ward. I can give you the statistics for the last few years.

THE PRESIDENT-Would it be possible for the Civil Hospital, as at present con- structed, to receive the cases that go to the Tung Wa Hospital?--No.

Dr. Ho KAI-Suppose you built another block as large as the Civil Hospital you could receive all the Chinese patients that are daily received in the Tung Wa Hospital? Could you fill the wards?--Yes. I think you would find the Chinese would come voluntarily if they knew there was no Tung Wa Hospital. In the cases that do come to the Civil Hospital the patients after a short time appear to be very glad they have come. They think at first they will be treated badly, and after they go away they bring other cases to the Hospital. The pauper hospital at Singapore is open to all nationalities, but 95 per cent, of the patients are Chinese, and no opposition is shown there to European treatment. There is nothing like the Tung Wa Hospital at Singapore. There was a scheme some time ago to establish one, but it came to nothing.

THE PRESIDENT-Do you not think the geographical position of Singapore, as com- pared with that of Hongkong, may have something to do with the question ?—I do not think so.

Dr. Ho KAI-The position of Hongkong is peculiar here. You are so near to China that you have fresh arrivals every day, and they are not all so accustomed to European medicine as the Chinese at Singapore, who go there and stay there for many months and years.

Mr. THOMSON-In Singapore they can afford to popularise European medicine, because the numbers of Chinese are limited there, whereas in Hongkong we cannot afford to keep all the Chinese of the Kwangtung Province in European medicines, and they would flock here if they knew these medicines could be had free.

Dr. Ho KAI-Chinese medicines cost quite as much as European.

Mr. WHITEHEAD-The expenditure attending the endeavour to popularise European medicine amongst the Chinese would be enormous ?

Dr. Họ KAI-Is it not better that the Government should vote, say, $10,000 to spread a knowledge of European medicines and for the detection of infectious diseases than to have the port declared infected and trade hampered every now and then?

WITNESS-If joined to the Government Civil Hospital and increased equal to the present accommodation, it need not be so expensive. Dr. Lowson recommended that