St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1885-11-07
A CHINESE DOCTOR.
Celestial Medical Science Explained by .
Chicago MOngolian.

Chicago MOngOlian.
The explanation that curiosity and not
III health had brought the visitor was re-
ceived smilingly, and a conversation en-
sued upon the differences that exist be-
tween the Chinese and the American
modes of medical practice. To spare
the reader tumble of pigeon English,
DIR. Moy Yuk's remarks may be con-
densed as follows: In the first place,
he claims that there is very little differ
ence in the range and quality of the
medicines employed by the two schools,
while he declares that the Chinese have
slight advantage in the number of
their remedies. He also claims that his
school shows good judgment in the fact
that they administer vast quantity of
their medicines-a great majority of
them-he said, in the shape of hot teas,
instead of in chilling and unpalatable
doses. He acknowledged that the Chi
nese were practically ignorant Of sur
gerry. but declared that the best among
their doctors in many respects outranked
the most noted of Christian physicians.
That the American surgeon is skillful in
his art, but that the general practitioner
here is wofully lacking as a diagnosti-
Gator of internal diseases, while the first
class Chinese medico is exceedingly
strong in that line. following rs he does
the unbroken teachings of thousands of
years past. He asserted that the Chi
nese were essentially healers. and cited
the fact that they constantly cure knife.
saber and gunshot wounds that would
be regarded as absolutely fatal in this
country.
In reply to a question. he sad that
one OF their greatest curatives for such
wounds, or for inflammations of the eve,
is not included in the Christian pharma-
cop9ia. viz, the powder of pearls. The
pearls are ground into a fine, fiour-like
dust, which dust is blown into the
wounds and then smothered with salves.
The greatest fault he found with our
physicians was. that they were crim-
inally negligent in the matter not of
studying further than the cramped con-
fines of the'r present books and for their
arrogant assertions, as he STYLED them,
that nothing was 10 be learned from the
sages of the Orient. He said that the
American public recognized the weak
ness of their regular medal advisers
and sought relief from any quack who
had advertised himself into notice.
After short run of pecuniary success
these quaeks dropped out of sight and
the people turned back in their despair
to the men with diplomas. who at all
events knew something of the science
they practioed. There is one great Chi
nese physician in this country. he re-
marked, whose abilities are acknowl-
edged by the white people, and who is
to day one of the richest perhaps the
richest. medical man in this country.
This man is the celebrated Ii Qua,
more commonly known as Ii Po Tai. Of
San Francisco. and he is known to be
worth $1,000. 900 or more. every cent Of
which he made on the Pacific coast.
Moy Yuk stated that many Chinese
drugs are very expensive, some of them
ranging as high as $3.50 or even $500 an
ounce, but said they were given in very
small and highly diluted doses. In con-
clusion he modestly suggested that as
there were SO few of his own people
here, and therefore paucitv of prac-
tice, he would like to try his skill at
doctoring the ailments of the American
public, and asked what his chances
would be. The journalist told him
frankly that. he Hought the chances
would be nil. although there might be
some idiots discovered who would ex-
pend their money at the risk of their
health. This ended the interview, for
the doctor" became quite indignant
and refused to be mollitied.-Ch Chicago
Mems