Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 751

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to say to us on that point?-Western medicine, so far as I can make out, has been put before the Tung Wa people in a most indigestible form. There are very few European doctors here, and most of them are private practitioners who have to charge high fees for their treatment. If I had power I would establish dispensaries in every sanitary district throughout the Colony. The Tung Wa Hospital ought to be the centre for the medical service for the poor. There must be many poor and broken down people who cannot come to the hospitals. You should have at least four dis- pensaries, and the men in charge of these would be able to send their most serious cases to the Tung. Wa for more skilful treatment.

Dr. Ho KAI-How could you establish these dispensaries ?-It is a question how far the medical department should be developed.

Would these young men already trained in Western medicine, granted that their training is sufficient, be suitable to take charge of these dispensaries ?—Yes.

Mr. THOMSON-You think that by this means you could popularise Western medicine ?---Probably. It would be brought nearer to the people than it now is.

You must bear in mind that Canton is very close to Hongkong with a population of several millions, and if it was known there that medical treatment and medicines could be obtained gratis in Hongkong we would probably have a large influx of people to take advantage of the treatment and medicine. It would cost at least a million dollars a year to maintain this department.

THE PRESIDENT reminded the witness that the Chinese of Hongkong were near their homes and that one function of the Tung Wa Hospital was to send them back to their native villages when they were sick, and to forward dead bodies to China for burial.

WITNESS-I saw dead bodies being brought into the Tung Wa Hospital while I was there. Who treated these people before they died? People do not die even from plague in a moment; they must have been ill somewhere and for some time.

It is a mistake to send people, say from Kennedy Town or the Happy Valley, or any other considerable distance to the Hospital for treatment when they are in a very bad state. We had the same experience with cholera in India, and we found that cholera could not be checked except by giving aid to the people in their homes.

Dr. Hỏ KAI-You have seen all the hospitals in the Colony; did you see any of them filled by Chinese ?--I saw them not filled.

So that if you have another institution maintained by Europeans open in the same way to the Chinese do you think they will get the Chinese to go to it ?—No, I doubt it.

So what we want is a new organisation, because we have three institutions in the Colony already. All we want is an institution which will attract the Chinese, and in which we could gradually educate in Western methods?—That is my idea.

Mr. WHITEHEAD-Have you seen any of the native so-called doctors in Hongkong? -In India; but not Chinese.

The Chinese doctors have the right to practise here and to use the title of doctors. Is such a thing permitted in India?-As a Colony advances it registers all those people. No medical man could practise in England unregistered.

But these so-called native doctors are not registered, but they have a right to sue for fees in Hongkong.-They should be registered.

THE PRESIDENT--Are the native doctors in India registered ?-No; all the men trained in our ideas are registered, but not the native practitioners. The native practitioner is a disappearing factor, because we have been training natives in Western medicine for fifty or sixty years.