Wichita eagle., 1889-03-06
CHINESE DOCTORS.
Their Pills, Poultices and Gen eral
Methods Of Practice.

AOS44Ooo Vi
What the Chinese know Of medicine and
anatomy may, according to the New York
Herald, be summed up as follows: To them
the body is a mash OF flesh, supported by
the bony framework and held in place by
the skin. The blood flows through. but
whether continuously in q circle or not is
not clearly understood.
The brain is the seat Of the yin. or female
principle, the base of which has a sort of
Geographic communication with the whole
body through the marrow In the thorax
are the lungs, consisting of SIX Iobes, four
on one side and two on the other. These
1obes regulate the muscular activity of vari
Gus parts of the body. Respiration is per-
formed in the abdominal region. which. IN
the case Of scholar, Is filed with learning.
The heart is Immediately below the lungs.
and IS the abode of the thinking principle.
The liver Is at the right of the heart, and is
the seat of the passions.
The gall bladder supplies the human be-
Ing with courage. Chinese history men
tons great General whose gail bladder
was as large as quart measure. From this
his Valor may be inferred. II IS not an IN
common thing for the Chinese soldiers TO eat
tne gal Of fierce ANIMALS for the purpose of
Increasing their courage. Their IDEAS cor
corning digestion and assimilation Of food
are equally misty.
Sickness is as often ascribed to the
agency o. evil spirits as to natural causes.
But II health results from the right proper
tons Of the five eIements-fire, earth, metal,
wood and water-that 90 to make up the
human form divine, the wrong proportions
Of the same vii bring about al sorts of dis
eases.
The Chinese have, accordingly, two classes
OF doctors-one that makes a speciality of
diseases caused by eva spirits, and the
other that comprises all regular practition-
ers, whose duty IS 10 restore the five ele-
ments 10 their normal portions
The confidence placed in the diagnostic
virtues Of the pulse is unlimited. The radial
pulse is not the only one depended upon,
but there are three places on the right
wrist where the pulse is fel l, and the same
number on the left. Chinese doctors dis
tnguish twenty four different kinds OF
pulse beats. According as the pressure is
light or heavy they are enabled to diagnose
the state Of the organs. The right wrist
gives information concerning the condition
OF the heart and intestines, and the left con-
corning the condition of the stomach and
lungs.
The skin is considered to rank in impor-
tance next to the pulse. Names are given
10 almost every square inch of it. Hence
Chinese doctors are especial ly liberal with
poultices and plasters. Not lnfrequently
the plaster that has effected cure is pasted
on the wall of doctors Office The num-
Der Of such plssters indicate the quality of
she practitioner and the extent of his ex-
perience.
Chinese doctors are also very liberal with
their doses CT medicine. In this matter Of
size they are catering to the public taste,
for their patient is not pleased with either
simple or small doses. His medicine must
be compounded of at least five different
drugs, IN quantities large enough to have
telling effect. Hence the Chinese have
neither respect nor use for homeopathists.
No sugar coated pills for them. The bacl1er
and thicker the mixture the better are they
suited. The efficacy Of a dose is in direct
proportion TO its size and naHseousness.
The ingredients used in the art of healing
are mainly vegetable substances, of which
cinnamon and ginseng are the most costly
and highly priced. But mineral substances,
such as plunbago, sulphate of copper, Gallo
mel, arsenic and red precipitate are just as
often prescribed. In addition to these,
various animal substances are deemed valu-
able for healing purposes.
The Chinese medical profession may be
said 10 be self-taUght, for they did not learn
their art in schools Of medicine under dis
tinguished specialists. They are mostly
scholars who have failed 10 pass the Gov
ernment competitive examinations and are
too lazy to teach. The perusal of several
standard and ancient medical books i sufi-
cient TO qualify a man for practice. He
hangs out his sign and trusts TO chance to
procure him ms first patients aud to luck
Ii his experiments on them. Unless he
prescribes deadly drugs he is just as likely
10 cure as 10 kill. In the former case Dame
Nature deserves al the credit However,
bis specifics are almost sure 10 heal certain
simple ailments.
There are fashionable doctors as well as
hacks among the Chinese Galens The
former never so out except in Sedan chairs,
md the large fees which they have right
o expect are handed them wrapped up IN
ed paper on their departure. The hacks
ees are sometimes made dependent on
heir success. As Chinese ladies are not
permitted TO be seen by strange men, they
IRE shielded from view by curtain with
he exception of their wrists, thrust out TO
,e felt By the physician.
The patient also pays for the hire OF the
sedan chair, according 70 the distance he
as come. The doctor does not present his
III or demand certain sum for his ser
ices; he accepts whatever is given him.
But if he thinks he has been underpaid he
ril be - busy" the next time you have &C
aston TO SUM mon him. Els fees vary from ,
en- cents 10 several dollars for each visit !
The successfully desed patient often
vinces his gratitude by presenting his doc
or with roast pigs and wooden certificate, {
wo or more feet long and sponding,y =
vide. bearing appropriate inscriptions. The ,
octor Is thereon hkcned to the Chinese {
-sculapius, Nah Fob, or TO some almost &
quauy potent healing divinity. These $
GARD certificates adorn the front entrance ,
( doctors house and are the best kind OF /
dTerusing known in the far East. On the I
tAer h2lo, the Physician whose stupidity q
supposed K have killed a patient may L
ave Signs and certificates broken 10 pieces
y the latter angry friends. Ii that case v
Is better Tor the nan to leave town if he C
as any regard for his safety. n
The Chinese are No better prepared In ner- r
'rn surgical operations than Shev are TO n
cal with internal ailments Still. they null n
'eth with great success ana little pam, c