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his services to those patients who wanted him, would there be any objection on the part of the Tung Wa Committee ?-It is not for the Committee to say, but for the majority of the community.
How do you expect the Chinese community would take to it ?—They would not take to it well. From my experience I should say they would stop their subscriptions.
Is a Chinese who understood European medicine more likely to be acceptable to the community ?—Yes, it might be tried to see how the public would take to it. If tact and judgment were exercised it might succeed. If the community take it well there would be no difficulty about the subscriptions. The change, at any rate, might be introduced gradually and with caution.
Mr. CHATER-Do you think the whole of the subscriptions would cease supposing a European doctor were placed in charge of the Tung Wa Hospital?-I cannot say all would cease at once.
I mean although there would be the usual Tung Wa Committee elected and in charge just the same as at present, the only exception being that a European doctor instead of Chinese practised in the Hospital?-I think in such a case the subscriptions would cease.
The promoters of the Hospital laid down the principle that Chinese treatment was to be accorded to the patients and thus induce the community to come forward with their subscriptions.
The Witness then read the following extracts from the Tung Wa Hospital regula- tions:-
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Only Chinese doctors are engaged in this Hospital. If any patient desires to enter the Government Civil Hospital, this Hospital will apply to the Colonial Surgeon on his behalf, and if the application is approved the patient will be sent there for
treatment.
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Regulations Governing Doctors.
Because Chinese customs are not the same as Western customs, the treatment of patients in the Hospital will be entirely in the hands of Chinese doctors.
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THE PRESIDENT-With respect to these two extracts, the Chinese community regards the Tung Wa Hospital as a Chinese hospital ?——Yes.
Do
you think if a European doctor were permanently placed in charge any committee could be induced to serve ?-I think there would be great difficulty in getting a committee. If you want to have a European doctor in the Hospital, you might as well send the patients to the Government Civil Hospital. It is a case of different races, and the Chinese have different ideas from the Europeans in regard to curing diseases. It is not so much the different medicines; it is the beliefs of the people.
Mr. WHITEHEAD-But to introduce the change such as I have suggested, of having Chinese doctors who had studied Western medicine, would not entail the same friction as employing European doctors is likely to produce?—I think if you employ European doctors in a Chinese hospital it will not work at all. It is my own belief that it cannot work well. The Chinese would be afraid.
Dr. Ho KAI-How about the language; a patient could not communicate direct with a European doctor ?—Yes, that is another objection. I do believe that unless the man has been a medical student it would be impossible for him to interpret to the doctor the symptoms of the patient. There are so many different terms in medicine, and if you introduce missionary doctors the Chinese will think that you are going to convert them to Christianity.
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