Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/272

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TWENTIETH CENTURY IMPRESSIONS OF HONGKONG, SHANGHAI, ETC.

the Chinese doctors are either "external " or "internal": both are represented, and there is one who has made a special study of skin diseases. As a matter of fact, however, the Chinese doctors, as a rule, have not been through any recognised course of training, the qualifications upon which the people set most store being, app.irently. the fact of a man's father having pnictised as a doctor and handed down more or less valuable prescriptions to his son. Dr. Jew Hawk, however, has had a gixxl training in both surgical and medic;»I work. He spent nine- teen years in Americ-a. and recently obtained his M_A. degree from the Chinese Government. For the last live years he has been in charge of the Tung Wah Hospital, and some idea of the heavy and exacting nature of his responsibilities may be gathered from the THE HONGKONG COLLEGE OF MEDIQNE. This College had its inception at a meeting held in the Alice Memorial Hospital on August 30. 1S87. The inauguration took place on the first of the following October, at a largely attended public gathering in the City Hall, presided over by His Excellency Major-Geiieral Cameron. C.B., the oflicer administering the government. A grant of Si. 000 was made by the directors of the Tung Wah Hospital for the purchase of anatomical models and other teaching appliances : and. five years later, namely, on July 23, 1892, the first two students who had completed the prescribed course of study were presented with diplomas by His Excellency Sir William Robinson. K.C.M.G. Since that date 31 other College was incorporated in nyoy. but up to the present time it has had no permanent local habitation, instruction being given in various public institutions. Neither has there been any regularly paid staff devoting itself entirely to the training of the students. An effort is now being made to provide suitably equipped buildings, the property of the College, and specially qualified lecturers whose whole time shall be given to the more distinctly scientific subjects, such as anatomy and physiology, in order that the work may be facilitated and extended, and the institution recognised by the General Medical Council of Great Britain. For this purpose a minimum capital sum of $150,000 is required as an endowment. A site adjacent to the hospitals of the Colony has been reserved by the Government, which has also HONGKONG COLLEGE OP MEDICINE. fact that last year the total admissions to the institution numbered 3.200. Of these. 1.815 chf>se European treatment, and 1.3K5 desired and received medical attendance according to Chinese methods. In addition 63.640 out-patients were treated for all man- ner of diseases, and in this department again European medicines were largely used. The cost of carrying on such an extensive work is naturally considerable, but the funds are materially assisted by the generosity of the Government, which makes a grant of drugs and pays the salary of the resident docior. students of the College, chiefly Chinese, have qualified to practise medicine, surgery, and midwifery. Altogether 102 students have been enrolled, over 30 of whom are passing through the curriculum at the present time. Before being allowed to matriculate the students are required to pass a preliminary examination, the standard of which has been raised gradually, until now it is considered equivalent to that required by the General Medical Council of Great Britain, and the curriculum and pro- fessional examinations correspond as closely to those recommended by the General Medical Council as is possible under existing conditions. A minimum curriculum of study of five years is required, and for the encouragement of the students several scholar- ships are offered for competition, The paid an annual grant of $2,500 to the College since 1902 ; Mr. Ng Li Hing has generously offered to spend $50,000 in the erection of suitable buildings ; and, towards the end of n;o6. a bequest valued at $10,000 was received under the will of the late Mr. Tang Chuk Kai. Plans have been approved for the erection of the College buildings, and the work was commenced in Jaiuiary, 1908. THE P.C.M.O. — A biographical sketch of the Hon, Dr. J. M. Atkinson, the Principal Civil Medical Oflicer. will be found in the Execu- tive and Legislative Councils section.