Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

as a token of gratitude for your deep and unfathomable favors. Looking upwards I pray you to cast a bright glance, at the respect and reverence which I can no longer support in silence.

Your junior, Ho Kungleën bends his head and bows.

LETTER IX.

We, inhabitants of the towns and villages in several districts, have relied on the English nation's surgeon, Colledge, for the relief and cure of diseases of the eyes. Those who have been completely cured, both formerly and at the present time, who possess feelings of gratitude, have offered presents and a recompense of money; but he would not receive a candareen or a cash.

We have no means of offering a recompense; but have united in presenting bundles of crackers, and in playing on instruments of music, in front of his house, to return thanks for his vast benevolence. May ten thousand blessings be with him.

We respectfully write this that he may be previously informed.

LETTER X.

To knock head and thank the great English doctor. Venerable gentleman, May your groves of almond trees be abundant, and the orange trees make the water of your well fragrant; as heretofore, may you be made known to the world, as illustrious and brilliant, and as a most profound and skillful doctor. I last year arrived at Macao, blind in both eyes; I have to thank you, venerable Sir, for having by your excellent methods, cured me perfectly. Your goodness is lofty as a hill, your virtue deep as the sea; therefore all my family will express their gratitude for your new creating goodness. Now I am desirous of returning home; your profound kindness it is impossible for me to requite; I feel extremely ashamed of myself for it. Again I trust that you, venerable Sir, will kindly feel compassion for me. Moreover, morning and evening you supplied me with firewood and water. This adds to the shame I feel. I am grateful for your favors, and shall think of them without ceasing. More. over, I am certain that since you have been a benefactor to the world, and your good government is spread abroad, heaven must surely grant you a long life, and you will enjoy every happiness. I return to my mean province. Your illustrious name, venerable Sir, will extend to all time; during a thousand ages it will not decay. I return thanks for your great kindness; impotent are my words to sound your fame, and to express my thanks. I wish you everlasting tran quillity.

Presented to the great English doctor, and noble gentleman, in the 11th year of Taoukwang, by Ho Shuh, of the district of Chaoungan, in the department of Changchow in Fuhkeën, who knocks head and presents thanks.

LETTER XI.

To the English great nation's hand (surgeon), elder benefactor of the world, skillful medical practitioner, by whom hundreds have been cured, as if by supernatural means. Sight has been restored to my eyes, which had lost it for more than ten years. The great nation's hand admitted me into his hospital and attended me,-verily he possesses supernatural power,-and effected the wonderful work of letting me behold the light of the sun.

May happiness rest in his house for having daily given me food to eat. Returning thanks, I go to my native place. Ten thousand generations of my family will be moved with gratitude towards him. May heaven protect him! May he enjoy felicity great as the unbounded existence of the eastern sea, and as the southern hill, for his benevolence. Given in his presence.

LIN TINGMING, pays respects.

LETTER XII.

Note of thanks from Tsae Ye for the cure of his arm, to the English nation's surgeon, Colledge.

I, Tsae Yě of Mongha (village), on the 7th of the 9th moon, when going to the village, met on the way a ship captain, riding about for amusement. We encountered each other in a narrow part of the road, where there was no room to turn off, and avoid one another. Hence I was kicked and trodden down by the horse, and my arm broken. Deeply grateful am I to the English nation's great doctor for taking me home to his worthy abode, and applying cures ; so that in about a month I was perfectly healed. Yě is indeed deeply imbued with your profound benevolence. In truth it is as though we had unexpectedly found a divine spirit, giving life to the world. earth there is none to match you. Ye sleeping and waking thinks of you. In this life, in the present world, he has no power to recompense you; but in the coming life he will serve you as a horse or a dog. To the English nation's great doctor.

TSAE YE,

with his whole family, imbued by your favor, bows his head, and pays respects.

LETTER XIH.

King Wan, of the district of Kaeping is grateful to the doctor. Eminent man! Whose medicines effect cures comparable to a deity; and who, moreover, supplied me with food and lodging abundant, thus evincing virtue nearly allied to heaven, and superior to the benevolence of relations. I, King Wan, was afflicted with an ailment of the eyes for seven years, during which period, I sat as it were in a dark chamber; when having come purposely to try your wonderful medicines, the bright day returned as before. Thus truly must your illustrious name be spread through the central and flowery country;

and heaven must add happiness and long life. Now with head to the ground I return thanks, and flee away to my village as a bird released, not knowing when I can adequately recompense your benevolence.

ART. III. Hospitals for seamen: a plan for a floating hospital at Whampoa, with apparatus for the recovery of persons apparently drowned; a medical establishment needed at Lintin or Macao; number and condition of foreign seamen in China.

When speaking of seamen in the port of Canton, in our last volume, (page 322,) we alluded to the necessity of some provision being made for the sick. Since that time the subject has received more attention; and in August last, a plan was devised and partly carried into execution for supplying the desired aid. The origin and nature of the plan will be fully explained by the following letter; which having been submitted to lord Napier, and having received his lordship's approbation, was forwarded to H. M. ministers in England. It forms a part of the appendix to the account of the ophthalmic institution, noticed in the preceding article. Fully persuaded, as we are, that the welfare of seamen in China, has not received by any means that consideration which it deserves, we beg leave to call the attention of our readers, and especially of those who are interested in the foreign commerce with this country, to the following letter:

To the Right Honorable Lord Napier,

My Lord,

Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China.

In obedience to a wish expressed by your lordship, to receive some suggestion as to the manner in which the services of the medical officers of your lordship's establishment may be made most advantageously available to British subjects in China, I have the honor to lay before your lordship the following ideas which have presented themselves to me on the subject.

Your lordship having already been pleased to express your acquiescence in the necessity of stationing one of your medical officers at Whampoa, and the laws of the Chinese empire not permitting the residence of any foreigner on shore there, I would respectfully suggest to your lordship the great importance of combining with such residence, (which must necessarily be afloat,) a floating hospital, the advantages of which I will endeavor to explain.

The prevalent diseases of Whampoa Reach arise principally from malaria, to which all ships resorting thither are unavoidably exposed. Complaints arising from this cause are frequently of a malignant character, and often of fatal occurrence, even under the closest attention. Every medical person acquainted with the varied charac

ter of bilious, bilious remittent, remittent, and intermittent cases, besides bowel complaints and dysentery, which occur during the season, (say from the month of July to the ensuing March,) must acknowledge that almost constant watching is required in certain stages of these diseases. This would be impossible if the medical attendant were not resident on the spot.

:

On board the Company's ships, (I can state from personal experience,) the sick were regularly visited twice and thrice daily and although each Company's ship carried two medical officers, making an aggregate of from thirty to forty medical men at Whampoa and Canton in the height of the season, they had always calls from ships not carrying surgeons and looking to them exclusively for medical aid. The opening of the trade will, however, entirely change the system. For while it is reasonable to suppose that an equal amount of tonnage and number of seamen will resort to China, it will be in vessels principally of that class which, from their size and complement of men, will not be obliged by act of parliament to carry a surgeon. None will carry more than one medical officer: and although I should be doing injustice to my professional brethren, if I thought there were one amongst us who would hesitate to afford assistance in case of emergency, still the assistance thus derived would be too uncertain for the calls of a numerous fleet: and, even with every disposition to afford it when called on, I can state from my own experience, that it would be an instance of good fortune rarely occurring, when one surgeon would not find his time and attention too fully occupied with his own ship's company to be able to afford assistance to other vessels.

Independently of the cases I have already enumerated, accidents unavoidably occur on shipboard, of compound fractures of limbs, injuries of the head, &c. &c., when constant attendance and quiet, mostly unattainable in small vessels, are indispensable to the cure. Nor should I omit to mention that in many cases much depends on the promptitude with which medical aid can be administered; as well as the danger and often the impossibility of removing patients to Canton, were there no medical establishment at Whampoa.

It is to your lordship's medical officer, therefore, that the British ships at Whampoa will look for assistance and it is with a view of pointing out to your lordship the manner, in which his services may be rendered most efficient, that I have ventured to suggest the idea of a floating hospital, which I consider it my duty to recommend to your lordship's particular consideration.

The melancholy loss of life frequently occurring at Whampoa by drowning, points at once to the necessity of procuring apparatus for the recovery of persons apparently drowned. This, I take the liberty to suggest to your lordship, should also be found on board the floating residence; whence it could be sent to any ship requiring it, by some established signal being made, without loss of time: as I am of opinion that, in my time, many lives have been lost at Whampoa which might have been preserved, had the requisite means for resto◄ ration been procurable.

The necessity for a medical establishment at Lintin or Macao, is already apparent to your lordship. Even since your lordship's arrival here, applications for medical aid have been made to Macao by ships coming in from sea in a sickly condition. Cases of this nature are frequent; the sick have been landed at Macao, and have hitherto received assistance from the Company's medical resident there. I would also call your lordship's attention to the British population at Macao; as well as the sick who resort thither from Canton for the recovery of their health. Of Lintin I would merely remark, that a number of most valuable British ships are constantly stationed there; all of them without surgeons, and hitherto looking exclusively to Macao for medical aid. Having for some years conducted a hospital at Macao on my own responsibility, I can state with satisfaction, that I never experienced any interference either from the Chinese, or Portuguese governments. Though originally intended principally for the relief of poor Chinese, still I occasionally admitted cases of professional interest occurring among the lower orders of foreigners resorting to this country and being fully impressed with the great advantages to be derived from an establishment of this kind for British seamen, at Lintin or Macao, I most respectfully submit the opinion to your lordship's consideration and approval; and, should the suggestion be deemed worthy of adoption, a scale of charges to shipmasters for the maintenance of the establishment can be submitted to your lordship.

The plan I have endeavored to embody in the foregoing sketch, embraces the services of both medical officers at present attached to your lordship's establishment, and would leave his majesty's superintendents without any personal medical attendant in Canton. will, of course, be a matter for your lordship's consideration. I have the honor to be,

Canton, August 8th, 1834.

My Lord,

This

Your lordship's most obedient humble servant, (Signed) T. R. COLLEDGE, Surgeon to H. M. Superintendents. Immediately after this plan was suggested, a boat of convenient size for a small hospital was contracted for; and the sum of 800 taels was to be paid for it, as soon as the man who engaged to build it should convey it to Whampoa and anchor it in a convenient station near the shipping, which he at once agreed to do. In the meantime Mr. Anderson, one of the surgeons to H. M. commission, was making the necessary arrangements for the new establishment, expecting to remain constantly at Whampoa and devote his whole attention to seamen. But before the plan was carried into operation, the whole was stopped by the hostilities of the government, which just at that time commenced in a most extraordinary manner; and the commissioners having been compelled to reside elsewhere than at the port of Canton, of course nothing has been done during the current season. Still, of the desirableness of having a floating hospital at Whampoa, and of the practicability of the measure, no one, we think,

« ÎnapoiContinuă »