The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-06
Chinese Doctors.

From the Cincinnati Inquirer, 9Th.
Dr. Wiley, who has been number OF years
in China, delivered lecture to the members
of the Academy of Medicine of Cincinnati, last
night, at the Ohio Medical College, on the
state of medicine in that country. lie spent
most Of his time in the city Of Fouchow, con-
tanning about 900, 600 of population within
its walls. lie established a hospital there,
treating every one free. and often came in con-
tact with the Chinese physicians. The physl-
cj4n and priest treat the patient at the same
time. The principal treatment consists in
charms, both for curing and preventing the
disease, although they have many good rene
dies and theories in regard to the proper treat
mcnt. The physician cures the disease with
his remedies, the priest by firing off crackers,
beating instruments, making the patient jump
| out of bed and run about the room, etc., helps
to cure him by driving away evil spirits that
cause the disease. The medical profession is
more of trade than profession. There are
no medical schools, and students learn from
private teachings. Every one who discovers
a remedy keeps it secret and hands 1t down
to his friends, who also keep it secret. The
physician there, as here, ranks as gentleman,
vet he does not rank with the literary men of
| The country. There is no science in their pro-
fcssion, and their practice consists in an accu-
mutation of facts from observation.
They have no anatomy. The dissection Of
the human body is forbidden by law, and any
one found doing it is put to death. Neither
do they know anything OF physiology. And
the circulation of the blood and the beating Of
the pulse is not vet understood Their theory
in regard to the pulse is, that it is caused bya
Of Il,o1 H'hnI
consider the pulse III one part OF the body dr.
ferent from that of another. They have two
hundred different kinds Of pulse. Mania l.
referred to the influence of the moon, and {
Chinaman could not be bribed to sleep out If
the moonlight, for fear of its evil effects
They have large materIa mcdlca, bu
most of their remedies are very foolish. Fo
instance: The blood of lion or tiger woulc
be prescribed for him who needed some o
the ti1cr about him Mercury and iron art
the only mineral medicines used, but are uset
extensively. They are fine botanists, and hay
large collection Of herbs for medicines Ii
: prescribing, fifteen to twenty remedies ar
! mixed in one prescription. If the patient die
the physician can be prosecuted, and, II loun(
guilty of malpractice, will have to support tn
family of the deceased from his own purse
Instead Of bleeding as practlced here, the arm
is scarhcd with many bladed knife, and the
certain class of persons are employed to sue
the blood from the arm. Incredible as 1t ma
SEEM they also suck matter from sores' a0
! scesscs and boils.
The Chinese have horror for water, an
never drink it, except as medicine. Thel
o., drink is tea altogether. The Chinese phys
clan is superior to all others in one partcua
1 at least he has a sure cure for hydrophob1a
BIZ the remedy is kept secret. Many, anon
. the population have some affection of the eye
owing to shaving off of the eyebrows an
4 lashcs, and also from the filth in which the
5 live. Surgery is but little Practiced' AmPu
tation is never thought of; and for a dsIocf
ton of the elbow, a chicken pounded to deatI
|. and made into poultice, is used, which,
course, seldom effects a cure. But with a
i their absurdites they have some good RENE
dies, which, if we car only find out, will ad
Y greatly to our own list of curatives.
4 We take the above from the Doctors ri
marks, and, coming from high authority, ca
= be depended on as being true. His remark
d were entertaining. and his lecture had but on
fault, it was too short.