Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 749

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Dr. AYRES has got the Chinese in the Tung Wa to take a patient's temperature with the thermometer, and I think the Tung Wa might be gradually brought into line, as a Chi- nese Hospital, with the other Western institutions in the Colony. If you educate young men in Western medical science, as they grow up they would replace the native practitioners.

Mr. WHITEHEAD-I understand you to say there are no native hospitals in India similar to the Tung Wa Hospital?—I have never seen one. I have gone through the documents you sent me referring to the establishment of the Tung Wa, and I see from them that the Tung Wa partakes of the nature of a Poor Law Hospital. There is no poor law system in India, but the hospitals are, of course, open to the poor.

THE PRESIDENT-You have told us that the Tung Wa combines in itself a Poor Law Hospital, an Incurable Hospital, and a Home for the Dying?—Yes. And it seems to me as years go on that these things will separate; that is bound to happen as the place developes.

Speaking from your experience of Indian hospitals and judging from the condition of the Tung Wa when you visited it, you think that it compares well with the Indian hospitals?-Without speaking of the medical treatment and speaking as it impresses the ordinary visitor, I am inclined to think that it compares not unfavourably with the Indian hospitals.

Dr. Ho KAI-Having studied the question of introducing Western medicine to native races, is it your opinion that it is impossible to improve the Tung Wa Hospital medically without training up the Chinese as medical assistants?-If you do not do that you have a sham Chinese doctor, and if he were ordered to do things under European supervision he would never see the reason for doing them. Putting it the other way, I think it would be very difficult to get the Chinese to adopt Western medicine unless you teach their young men the advantages of it. Speaking from my own selfish point of view as the officer responsible for the health of the garrison, there is a great deal to be gained by training these young men. By doing so you gradually make them your friends instead of having them as opponents to Western medicine. Were they trained, they would not stand the insanitary conditions under which they live at present, and their influence would operate upon the masses of the Chinese in the Colony and so bene- fit the troops.

Have you found that the young Indians once trained change their habits?-So much so that we have them going home to Netley, and passing into the native army with our own men.

Mr. CHATER-What would you propose us to do to bring about a change in the Tung Wa Hospital with regard to the treatment of patients? You have heard how they are treated at present and that there is no medical knowledge at all as we understand it; what would you propose, keeping the ulterior object in view of having Europeans in charge of the Hospital?-I would first reform the organisation of the place; it is most essential to have a certain cubic space for each patient, to have the place perfectly clean, attendants to look after the patients, and to have these commodes removed.

Mr. WHITEHEAD--There are no trained Chinese here qualified for that purpose.- Then

you will have to train Chinese servants.

But here there is no such material as you have in India?—I think the Chinese are more pliable than the natives of India. Once you have reformed the organisation you want an Englishman who will, in a sympathetic way, impress the patients that what he proposes to do for them is for their good.

Dr. Ho KAI-However good and sympathetic he might be in his treatment of the patients, would it not be better for him to pave the way by training native students ?- Certainly; but they would not be ready to assist him for three or four years.