Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 708

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Then what is the use of having Mr. U I-KAI there ?

THE PRESIDENT-I will explain that. He practically belongs to the Government Civil Hospital, but in addition to his work there he does duty at the Tung Wa Hospital in connection with the registration of deaths. He helps to give proper returns of the causes of death in the Tung Wa Hospital. Formerly the Government depended entirely upon the Chinese doctors for the returns of the cause of death, but the information once given by the Chinese doctors is now obtained by Mr. U I-KAI. He forwards the returns of deaths in the Hospital to the Registrar General after they have been supervised by the Colonial Surgeon, who visits the Hospital daily. Mr. U I-KAI assists the Colonial Surgeon in performing his duties at the Tung Wa Hospital, and does not belong to the staff of the Tung Wa Hospital proper, though the Hospital pays him $15 a month.

Dr. Ho KAI-If a Chinese doctor educated and trained in Western methods were put into the Hospital and arrangements were made that he should be permitted to treat a patient according to Western methods if the patient desired it and the Directors per- mitted it, but with no power to forcibly treat any patient according to Western methods, would there be any objection to that-this European-trained native doctor to give general assistance as required and to keep the register of deaths ?--If you say we must have one who is learned in Western methods then it is all right. We should not like to disobey any instructions, but the Hospital is supported by the Chinese public and they might withdraw their support. If you gentlemen all say it is desirable to have a doctor trained in Western methods it would be difficult for us to say it is not desirable.

Mr. WHITEHEAD-But would it not be well to leave it in the option of the patient to say whether he wishes to be treated according to Chinese or according to Western methods ?-If you gentlemen were to give an order that it should be done, we would like it recorded in the book as one of the new rules of the Hospital, so that we might avoid having any trouble with the Chinese public. The Directors would not like to have the same treatment accorded them as was accorded Mr. LAU WAI-CH'ÜN during the plague when he had his chair overturned and was pelted with stones. He was Chairman of the Hospital Committee at that time. We Directors would get the blame if any new rule were introduced such as you propose. We would not dare to make the innovation ourselves.

Would you and your co-Directors be disposed to support such a recommendation ?

Dr. Ho KAI-He says no, but if the Government gives the order it will be done.

Mr. WHITEHEAD-If the Government proposed to instal into the Tung Wa Hospital a European to supervise and control the working of the Hospital, how would the Committee and the supporters of the Hospital-those who contribute the money to maintain it—view the change ?-Nobody would dare to become a Director, and very few subscriptions would be given.

The PRESIDENT-With regard to the renting of the house property belonging to the Tung Wa Hospital, what steps do the Directors take to see that they get the best possible rents? They do the same as other people do. The rent is not increased in the case of an old tenant. Suppose the rent was $10 before and a new man comes in it might be raised to $15, but if the old tenant remains the rent is not raised,

Do you, as Chairman of the Tung Wa Hospital Committee, consider you get a fair and equitable return from your property ?—The rents are not too low.

The Tung Wa Hospital has always taken care of male destitutes ?--Yes.

Recently a notice was served upon you by the Sanitary Board asking you not to house destitutes on the verandahs of the Hospital ?—Yes.

And now you have no room for those destitutes ?—No.