The Hawaiian gazette., 1883-10-10
The Present State of Chinese Medicine.

Chinese authors assume, with the complete
self-complacency which is common to them,
that the wide medical knowledge which was
impaired TO the world by Hwang-te has siuce
been so vastly increased that at the present
time the science of medicine in China has
reached its highest development. An acquain-
lance however with their medical practice and
pharmacopmia completely dispes this deluson
and brings us face to face with the fact that
their knowledge Of medicine is entirely en-
pirical, and is based neither on accurate obser-
walton or scientific research. OF physiology,
or Of human and comparative anatomy, they
know nothing. The functions of the heart,
lungs, liver, kidneys and brain are sealed
books to them, and they recognise no distinc
ton between veins and arteries, and between
nerves and tendons. Their deeply rooted re-
pugnanee to the use Of the knife in surgery, or
to post-mortem examinations, prevents the
possibility of their acquiring any accurate
knowledge of the human frame, and their no
ton Of the position of the various organs Is
almost as wild as their idea Of their different
functions, which is saying good deal when
one recolIects that they consider that from the
heart and the pit of the stomach all ideas and
delights proceed, and that the gall-badder is
the seat of courage. So firmly is this last be-
lief held, and SO strange is the perversion Of
their ideas on the subject of processes through
which all food has to 60, that it is not uncorn-
mon for men DESTROYS Of gaining additional
courage to devour the gall of savage beasts,
and even of notorious murderers aud rebels
who have expiated their crimes at the hands
of the executioner. No Harvey has arisen in
China to enlighten his eountrymen on the cir
culation of the blood, and beyond having
oeners1 notion that IL ebbs and flows thew
know nothing of its movements. They even
consider that there is a difference in the pulses
on the two wrists, and not only this, but that
there are differences to be found in each pulse,
and this they profess to account for by saying
that the different parts OF the pulse reflect the
condition of the organs which they represent.
For example, the parts of the pulse on the left
wrist are believed TO discover the state of the
heart, small intestines, liver, gall-bladder,
kidneys and bladder; while those on the right
wrist reflect the condition Of the lungs, larger
intestines, spleen, stomach, gate of life, and
membranes of the Yiscera, There are also,
they consider, seven indications given by the
pulse Of the approach Of death, and each Of the
seven passions is represented by pulsations
which may be distinguished. Mans body is
believed to be composed Of the FIVE elements
fire, water, metal, wood and earth-all of
which are mysteriously connected with the
five planets, five tastes, five eolors, five met
ais and five viscera. To keep these FIVE an
tagonistic principles in harmony is the duty of
the physician, and to restore the equilibrium
when any one of them is in excess or deficiency
is the main object Of his endeavors. = China, By
Robert X. Douglass.
CHICAGO, Sept. 2l.-The 7yiJme's Wash