The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-11-12
MEDICINE AMONG KOREANS.
They Almost Worship Surgeon, bui
Drspse II Physician.

confidence III foreign medicines. 1t is
surgery only which cnlisls their adj
mlralion. They have many doctors
among themselves, men unacquainted,
TO be sure, with tie languages of
Europe, which they hold in high
esteem, but learned in the Chinese
character in which they can read ali
the medical treatiscs OF Chinese clas-
sizes. These doctors have medicines OF
their own, even worse tasting thar
ours. which they furnish their patients
III liberal quantities; and. pray. why
should a man who has failed to rec i've
benefit from three gallons of mix urc
so nauscating that he could not retain
it upon his stomach place faith in a
small bottle of medicine as clear a.
water? Moreover, if there be any
virtue in tcaspoonful Of such
liquid. there is surely much more in
cupful. SO The probability is that the
foreign doc,or's medicine is taken all
in one or two doses, aud the result
gives the victim very poor estimate
of foreign treatment.
But with surgery the conditions are
wholly different. The Korean doctor,
IL 10 ttuC, HIS blS SCI VI
and bis method of using them; but he
knows as little of anatomical differen-
tiation and localization as did our fore=
fathers of the patriarchal days, The
diseases in which and the localities
upon which to use his instruments are
determined by arbitrary rules sayor=
ing more of necromancy than of medi-
cal skill. Scarcely patient presents
himself who has not upon his back or
chest or limbs the marks of the native
doctors knives-round scars an INCH
or more broad. ten or dozen of them
in symmetrical arrangement showing
where long knives have been plunged
deep into the tissues. Several cases
have been encountered by foreign
practitioners here where such treat
ment has led TO severe Inflammation,
the Immediate cause of death. And
not infrcguently the appearance of
these scars directly over the seat of
vital organs occasions surprise that
these fatal cases are not more COM
moy.
The asioniShmcnt of the native doc
tor therefore, Is quite equal to that of
the patients when the foreign surgeon
coolly and carefully sewers the living
tissues win his keen knife or unites
them with needle and silk, ! was in-
tcnscly amused last week by the open
mouthed wonder of group of soldiers
and chair-bcarers who stood about the
door of my drug room TO see me lie Il
snuring artery and bring together the
gaping edges of Il wound incurred bv
one Of their comrades. Equal interest
anu amaZ1ment are displayed upon
every use Of my pocket case. Almost
every wound brought 10 me TO dress
has been previously plastered with
mud or with some powder supposed to
possess healing properties, and my
first step in treatment must be TO
Cleanse the part of its filthy incunI-
brauces. TIE sight of blood for which
he Is responsible quite unneryes the
Korean, aud he looks with awe upon
the tcmerity of the foreigner who
works on coolly amid increasing
streams of the red liquid which he
himself draws, aud WHICH he seems
able 10 stanci ut will.
So it is that the Koreans have uu-
bounded confidence in foreign surgical
skill. They believe that we are quite
capable of miracles, and are amazed
when we refuse 10 perform them. Not
long since 4 man came 200 miles in
order that | might place new eyes in
his empty sockets. and would not be
put of with the first assurance of its
impossibiiitv. | have been asked to
restore withercd hands. sightless eyes,
limbs deformed from childhood, fract-
ured bones united in malpositions. and
10 remove countless sc2rs and facial
blemishes of various descriptions. So
much confidence was felt in my Surri-
cal Skill that was allowed Last month
10 attempt the removal of Il needle
broken of III lie palm OF "a woman of
rank. The hand MAS passed through
an aperture in screen, and WAS held
by her husband. while | sat oil the
door beside him and wiclled tie
scalpel. 1t was comical 10 see the
puzzled faces of her two sons as they
saw me draw blood freely and heard
her declaration that she felt no pain.
because Of the cocaine | had applied.
In mv medical work have received
most efficient aid from those who have
previously become somewhat accus-
toned 10 our medical procedure. The
Koreans are Il very teachablc people.
They are people without religion,
FOR all forms of religion are prescribed
amoug them. anil only ancesiro-wor-
ship is eountenanced. Charclt al
Home.
The societies for the protection of
animals in Sweden. Norway. and Den
mark have peiitiotrd Il queen of
Italy 10 xeit her influence in prot, citing
the northern birds which migrate 10
Italy in winter and are killed there in
vast numbers.