the golden chersonese and the way thither-第15章

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simply　that　heathenism　in　Canton　is　practising　at　this　day　what
Christianity　in　Europe　looked　upon　with　indifference　for　centuries。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　V

Portuguese　MissionariesA　Chinese　HospitalChinese
AnaestheticsSurgery　and　MedicineVentilation　and　CleanlinessA
Chinese　〃Afternoon　Tea〃A　New　Inspiration


HONG　KONG；　January　10。

The　year　seems　already　getting　old　and　frowzy。　Under　these　blue　skies；
and　with　all　the　doors　and　windows　open；　I　should　think　it　midsummer　if
I　did　not　look　at　the　calendar。　Oh；　how　I　like　blue；　sunny　skies；
instead　of　gray　and　grim　ones；　and　blazing　colors　instead　of　the　dismal
grays　and　browns　of　our　nondescript　winters！

I　left　Canton　by　the　Kin…Kiang　on　Monday；　with　two　thousand　Chinese
passengers　and　two　Portuguese　missionary　priests；　the　latter　wearing
Chinese　costume；　and　so　completely　got　up　as　Chinamen　that　had　they　not
spoken　Portuguese　their　features　would　not　have　been　sufficient　to
undeceive　me。　　They　were　noble…looking　men；　and　bore　upon　their　faces
the　stamp　of　consecration　to　a　noble　work。　On　the　other　steamer；　the
Tchang；　instead　of　a　man　with　revolvers　and　a　cutlass　keeping　guard
over　the　steerage　grating；　a　large　hose　pipe　is　laid　on　to　each
hatch…way；　through　which；　in　case　of　need；　boiling　water　can　be　sent
under　strong　pressure。　Just　as　we　landed　here；　about　five　hundred　large
fishes　were　passed　through　a　circular　net　from　a　well　in　the　steamer
into　a　well　in　a　fishing　boat；　to　which　all　the　fishmongers　in　Hong
Kong　immediately　resorted。

（I　pass　over　the　hospitalities　and　festivities　of　Hong　Kong；　and　an
afternoon　with　the　Governor　in　the　Victoria　Prison；　to　an　interesting
visit　paid　with　Mr。；　now　Sir　J。　　Pope　Hennessey　to　the　Chinese
Hospital。）

We　started　from　Government　House；　with　the　Governor；　in　a　chair　with
six　scarlet　bearers；　attended　by　some　Sikh　orderlies　in　scarlet
turbans；　for　a　〃State　Visit〃　to　the　Tung…Wah　Hospital；　a　purely　Chinese
institution；　built　some　years　ago　by　Chinese　merchants；　and　supported
by　them　at　an　annual　cost　of　16；000。　In　it　nothing　European；　either　in
the　way　of　drugs　or　treatment；　is　tried。　There　is　a　dispensary
connected　with　it；　where　advice　is　daily　given　to　about　a　hundred　and
twenty　people；　and；　though　lunacy　is　rare　in　China；　they　are　building　a
lunatic　asylum　at　the　back　of　the　hospital。

The　Tung…Wah　hospital　consists　of　several　two…storied　buildings　of
granite；　with　large　windows　on　each　side；　and　a　lofty　central　building
which　contains　the　directors'　hall；　the　accommodation　for　six　resident
physicians；　and　the　business　offices。　The　whole　is　surrounded　by　a
well…kept　garden；　bounded　by　a　very　high　wall。　We　entered　by　the　grand
entrance；　which　has　a　flagged　pavement；　each　flag　consisting　of　a　slab
of　granite　twelve　feet　long　by　three　broad；　and　were　received　at　the
foot　of　the　grand　staircase　by　the　directors　and　their　chairman；　the
six　resident　doctors；　and　Mr。　Ng　Choy；　a　rising；　Chinese　barrister；
educated　at　Lincoln's　Inn；　who　interpreted　for　us　in　admirable　English。
He　is　the　man　who　goes　between　the　Governor　and　the　Chinese　community；
and　is　believed　to　have　more　influence　with　the　Governor　on　all
questions　which　concern　Chinamen　than　anybody　else。　These　gentlemen　all
wore　rich　and　beautiful　dresses　of　thick　ribbed　silk　and　figured
brocade；　and；　unless　they　were　much　padded　and　wadded；　they　had　all
attained　to　a　remarkable　embonpoint。

The　hall　in　which　the　directors　meet　is　lofty　and　very　handsome；　the
roof　being　supported　on　massive　pillars。　One　side　is　open　to　the
garden。　It　has　a　superb　ebony　table　in　the　middle；　with　a　chair　massive
enough　for　a　throne　for　the　chairman；　and　six　grand；　carved　ebony
chairs　on　either　side。

Our　procession　consisted　of　the　chairman　and　the　twelve　directors；　the
six　stout　middle…aged　doctors；　Mr。　Ng　Choy；　the　Governor；　the　Bishop　of
Victoria；　and　myself；　but　the　patients　regarded　the　unwonted　spectacle
with　extreme　apathy。

The　wards　hold　twenty　each；　and　are　divided　into　wooden　stalls；　each
stall　containing　two　beds。　Partitions　seven　feet　high　run　down　the
centre。　The　beds　are　matted　wooden　platforms；　and　the　bedding　white
futons　or　wadded　quilts；　which　are　washed　once　a　week。　The　pillows　are
of　wood　or　bamboo。　Each　bed　has　a　shelf　above　it；　with　a　teapot　upon　it
in　a　thickly　wadded　basket；　which　keeps　the　contents　hot　all　day；　the
infusion　being；　of　course；　poured　off　the　leaves。　　A　ticket；　with　the
patient's　name　upon　it；　and　the　hours　at　which　he　is　to　take　his
medicine；　hangs　above　each　person。

No　amputations　are　performed；　but　there　are　a　good　many　other
operations；　such　as　the　removal　of　cancers；　tumors；　etc。　The　doctors
were　quite　willing　to　answer　questions；　within　certain　limits；　but　when
I　asked　them　about　the　composition　and　properties　of　their　drugs　they
became　reticent　at　once　and　said　that　they　were　secrets。　They　do　not
use　chloroform　in　operations；　but　they　all　asserted；　and　their
assertions　were　corroborated　by　Mr。　Ng　Choy；　that　they　possess　drugs
which　throw　their　patients　into　a　profound　sleep；　during　which　the　most
severe　operations　can　be　painlessly　performed。　They　asserted　further
that　such　patients　awake　an　hour　or　two　afterward　quite　cheerful；　and
with　neither　headache　nor　vomiting！　One　of　them　showed　me　a　bottle
containing　a　dark　brown　powder　which；　he　said；　produced　this　result；
but　he　would　not　divulge　the　name　of　one　of　its　constituents；　saying
that　it　is　a　secret　taught　him　by　his　tutor；　and　that　there　are　several
formulas。　It　has　a　pungent　and　slightly　aromatic　taste。

The　surgery　and　medicine　are　totally　uninfluenced　by　European　science；
and　are　of　the　most　antiquated　and　barbaric　description。　There　was　a
woman　who　had　had　a　cancer　removed；　and　the　awful　wound；　which　was
uncovered　for　my　inspection；　was　dressed　with　musk；　lard；　and
ambergris；　with　a　piece　of　oiled　paper　over　all。　There　was　also
exhibited　to　us　a　foot　which　had　been　pierced　by　a　bamboo　splinter。
Violent　inflammation　had　extended　up　to　the　knee；　and　the　wound；　and
the　swollen；　blackened　limb　were　being　treated　with　musk　and　tiger's
fat。　A　man　with　gangrened　feet；　nearly　dropping　off；　had　them　rolled　up
in　dark…colored　paste；　of　which　musk　and　oil　were　two　ingredients。　All
the　wounds　were　deplorably　dirty；　and　no　process　of　cleaning　them
exists　in　this　system　of　surgery。

The　Governor　and　Bishop　were　not　allowed　to　go　into　the　women's　ward。
It　looked　very　clean　and　comfortable；　but　a　woman　in　the　last
death…agony　was　unattended。　They　never　bleed；　or　leech；　or　blister；　or
apply　any　counter…irritants　in　cases　of　inflammation。　They　give
powdered　rhinoceros'　horns；　sun…dried　tiger's　blood；　powdered　tiger's
liver；　spiders'　eyes；　and　many　other　queer　things；　and　for　a　tonic　and
febrifuge；　where　we　should　use　quinine；　they　rely　mainly　on　the　ginseng
（Panax　quinquefolia？）　of　which　I　saw　so　much　in　Japan。　They　judge　much
by　the　pulse　and　tongue。　　The　mortality　in　this　hospital　is　very　large；
not　only　from　the　nature　of　the　treatment；　but　because　Chinamen　who
have　no　friends　in　Victoria　go　there　when　they　are　dying；　in　order　to
secure　that　their　bodies　shall　be　sent　to　their　relations　at　a
distance。　There　were　fifteen　sick　and　shipwrecked　junkmen　there；
covered　with　sores；　who　looked　very　far　down　in　the　scale　of　humanity。

After　going　through　the　wards　I　went　into　the　laboratory；　where　six　men
were　engaged　in　preparing　drugs；　then　to　the　〃chemical　kitchen；〃　where
a　hundred　and　fifty　earthen　pipkins　on　a　hundred　and　fifty　earthen
furnaces　were　being　used　in　cooking　medicines　under　the　superintendence
of　eight　cooks　in　spotless　white　clothing；　then　to　the　kitchen；　which
is　large　and　clean；　then　alone　into　the　dead…house；　which　no　Chinese
will　enter　except　an　unclean　class　of　pariahs；　who　perform　the　last
offices　for　the　departed　and　dress　the　corpses　for　burial。　This　gloomy
receptacle　is　also　clean。

Great　attention　is　paid　to　cleanliness　and　ventilation。　Dry　earth　is
used　as　a　deodorizer；　but　if　there　be　a　bad　odor　they　burn　sandalwood。
They　don't　adopt　any　disinfectants；　indeed；　they　don't　appear　to　know
their　use。　The　patients　all　lie　with　their　backs　to　the　light；　and
there　is　a　space　five　feet　wide　between　the　beds　and　the　windows。　All
the　windows　were　open　both　at　the　top　and　bottom；　so　as　to　create　a
complete　current　of　air；　and　the　airiness　and　freedom　from　smells　and
closeness　were　quite　remarkable；　considering　the　state　in　which　the
wounds　are；　which　is　worse　than　I　dare　attempt　to　describe。　The
hospital　is　conducted　on　strictly　〃temperance　principles；〃　i。e。；　no
alcoholic　stimulants　are　given；　which　is　not　remarkable；　considering
how　little　comparatively　they　are　used　in　China；　and　with　what
moderation　on　the　whole　by　those　who　use　them。　There　were　seventy…five
patients　in　the　wards　yesterday；　and　the　cases　were　mostly　either
serious　originally；　or　have　been　made　so　by　the　treatment。　There　are
one　hundred　and　twenty　beds。　There　is　much　to　admire　in　this　hospital；
the　humane　arrangements；　the　obvious　comfort　of　the　patients；　and　the
admirable　ventilation　and　perfect　cleanliness　of　the　beds　and　wards；
but　the　system　adopted　is　one　of　the　most　antiquated　quackery；　and　when
I　think　of　the　unspeakably　horrible　state　of　the　wounds；　the　mortifying
limbs；　and　the　gangrened　feet　ready　to　drop　off；　I　almost　question
Governor　Hennessey's　wisdom　in　stamping　the　hospital　with　his　approval
on　his　〃State　Visit。〃

The　Governor　and　I　were　received　in　the　boardroom　after　our　two　hours'
inspection；　where　we　were　joined　by　Mrs。　　Hennessey；　and　entertained　by
the　directors　at　what　might　be　called　〃afternoon　tea。〃　But　when　is　the
Chinaman　not　drinking　tea？　A　monstrous　plateau　of　the　preserved　and
candied　fruits；　in　the　making　of　which　the　Chinese　ladies　excel；　had
been　placed　upon　the　ebony　table；　and　when　we　were　seated　in　the
stately　ebony　chairs　on　the　chairman's　right；　with　the　yellow；
shining…faced；　wadded　or　corpulent　directors　opposite　to　us；　excellent
tea　with　an　unusual　flavor　was　brought　in；　and　served　in　cups　of
antique　green　dragon　china。　The　Governor　made　kindly　remarks　on　the
hospital；　which　fluent　Mr。　Ng　Choy　doubtless　rendered　into　the　most
fulsome　flattery；　the　chairman　complimented　the　Governor；　and　unlimited
〃soft　sawder；〃　in　Oriental　fashion；　passed　all　round。

It　is　proper　in　China　on　such　an　occasion　to　raise　the　tea…cup　with
both　the　hands　to　a　good　height　and　bow　to　each　person；　naming　at　the
same　time　the　character　so　continually　seen　on　tea…cups　and　sake
bottlesHappiness；which　is　understood　to　be　a　wish　for　happiness　in
this　formula；　〃May　your　happiness　be　as　the　Eastern　Sea；〃　but　the　wish
may　also　mean　〃May　you　have　many　sons。〃　It　is　strange　that　these
Chinamen；　who　showed　all　fitting　courtesy　to　Mrs。　Hennessey　and　me；
would　only　have　spoken　of　their　wives　apologetically　as　〃the　mean　ones
within　the　gates！〃　It　was　a　charming　Oriental　sight；　the　grand；　open…
fronted　room　with　its　stone　floor　and　many　pillars；　the　superbly
dressed　directors　and　their　blue…robed　attendants；　and　the　immense
costumed　crowd　outside　the　gate　in　the　sunshine；　kept　back　by
crimson…turbaned　Sikh　orderlies。

If　civilization　were　to　my　taste；　I　should　l