The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-03-07
CHINESE DOCTORS.

sing to cure all manner of diseases, estab
lished himself on Fourteenth street, in this
City, and for considerable time enjoyed a
very large patronage, many of the richest
ladies Of the city being among his credu-
lous patients. After while, however, on
account of the refusal of the Custom house
authorities to admit the serpents, poison
Gus drugs, and revolving salves, which he
attempted to import, and from other caus-
es, he discontinued business.
A few days since a Chinese doctor ar
rived in New York from New Orleans, and
is now living at No G6 Cherry street. A
visit was paid to him yesterday. He was
found on the third floor of the house men
toned, and is the guest of a number of
Cinnamon who live there. They hold him
in great esteem, and say he has effected
some very wonderful cures. The room in
which he was seen is of small proportions,
and is situated at the back of the house;
it is occupied by seven or eight Chinese,
and every evening is visited by numerous
young white girls of the neighborhood.
Three of them were found there last even
ing; none of the three could have been
more than eighteen years of age, two of
them were quite well looking, but all of
them sat side by side with greasy, loath-
some, wrinkled old Cinnamon, and braz-
emily looked the visitor in the face. The
"doctor" is little man, about forty years
of age. He was dressed in the proverbial
Chinese costume, and, unlike most of his
countrymen in the city, wore his cuebound
in braids round his head. He stated that
he had lived for some years in New Or
leans, and had been very successful there,
many white persons being among his pa
TENTS. He claims to be able to cure yell
low fever of any stage of the disease. He
comes to this city in the hope of establish
ing practice here, and will furnish and
open an office in respectable locality as
soon as his drugs arrive from San Fran
cisco, to which place he has written for
them.
Chinese doctors think that there is a
and the heavenly bodies; they believe in
the existence of two principles of life,
which they call vital heat and radical mois-
ture. According to their anatomy, the
body is divided into three parts. Vital
heat is said to be contained in the stomach,
the gall, and the bladder, and they say
that the principal necessity of eating is to
keep warm; the moisture is confined in
and is diffused through the body by the
heart, liver, lungs, spleen, and kidneys.
Tie drugs and medicines used by Chinese
doctors are almost innumerable. Some of
them are given in all cases of sickness, no
matter of what character, and are claimed
to be Of remarkable efficacy. Stays
horns, made into powder, is always given
in large quantities to persons suffering
from pulmonary complaints. Oxides of
copper, and other metallic medicines, are
extensively used. Ginseng, with rhubard,
is given in nearly every case, and plasters
and poultices of the most disgusting and
offensive character are often placed all over
the bodies of patients. 1t is also prac-
tce to place piece of raw meat, portions
of bulls liver End half chicken, on in
jured parts. Should any one, who usually
enjoys good health, be suddenly taken
sick with dizziness, pains in the eyes, or
numbness of the extremities, the illness is
ascribed to the evil influence of some of
the seventy-two malignant gods, and i'm
mediate measures are taken to expel the
wicked spirits.
Another belief prevalent in China is that
sickness proceeds from bad gases which
generate in the body. DR.. Bahr, the cele-
brated German physician, relates a case in
which Chinanian stuck a long needle into
his abdomen, and then pressed the aper-
ture to expel the foul gases, after the oper-
alton saying that he felt much better
Such cases often occurred. Another super
stition in relation to the sick, is that the
gods send illness to persons who are una
BILE to pay for their exemption from dis
ease, and it very frequently occurs that
rich friends of Il poor sick man m axe SOL
emil plOllllScS W tiio SStlS vi ~ SaCll-
fees if the man RECEIVERS. A pleasing Eng
glish writer on China relates that upon one
occasion, when travelling in the interior, he
was thrown from his horse and received a
severe confusion on the head. When the
Chinese doctor who was summoned ar
rived, the patient was ordered to sit up in
bed. After he had done so the doctor
placed a large basin of water, filled with
blocks of ice, on the chair by the bedside,
and ordering him to strip to the waist,
suddenly pulled his head over the basin
and commenced to pour the ice-cold water
over his neck. The pain at first was very
great, but at length the gentleman was
restored to full consciousness and recover
ed his clearness of sight. After the use
of the ice water his head was bound with
long cotton cloths, drawn tight by two
men holding the ends. His head was then