New-York tribune., 1896-10-18
HOW LFS son ATED HIN.
A BATTLE WITH CHINESE SUPERSTITION

"A l.
From The Cornhill
\ comparatively recent episode in the Niceroy
life showed pretty clearly the attitude which he as
sumed TO the magic and the sorcery which arc 30
universally dominant among ms COUNT @ re,, ,,s .kor
with influenza. which had by that time become WI
established in China. The epidemic dln not ad origi'
bu Invaded it from the West by two dinertnt
routes-by sea from tho South and by land from
III Hung Chang is a remarkably robust man and
the influenza attack was probaply me Only se'iou d
Illness he ever had But 1t was very sever. n anu
brought him near 10 the verge OF HE, Tor ne va
already seventy The course Of the illness or2usnt
familiar Chinese characteristics wnich II
may not be uninteresing at this time TO recall ana
also illustrated in rather luminous maner M oro
civilization on to the old garment OF chinese ira
The Chinese, as have said. are known 70 oe
swathed in superstitions Of the grossest kind the
accumulation of some thousands OF years OF ann,
terrupted legend. Their cast OF nina Is not SO
much unscientihc as ant-scientiic. inasmucl as
they rarely seek natural explanations OF the mos,
ordinary pheromena. but supernatural. With all
their stores of book-lcarning, they nave not peeii
able TO throw off the most primitive FORM OF istisn
ism If an enterprise is to succeed the fortune
teller must be conciliated. lucky day CHOSEN 20
commence it, and proper ceremonial observe. f ils
do also and certain temples are much resotted to
for tokens OF what Will happen even py re & p's'
educated and highly placed Chinese. IL Is vniNeI-
sal When a child Is sick the parents do not ask
what 1t has eaten. or whether ii has been fSposed
missionaries often supply ready answer 10 ms
query. much to their own inconvenience. and often
to their damage and loss, So although mere are
settlers among the Chinese-though how they OBJ
tain their knowledge is mysery-yet tns "n1'e iSS
charms and occult procedure -
1t has been no unmportant part Of Iii Hung
Chang's scheme Of innovation TO adopt FOR himsef
and his family foreign medicine. ard to found a
medical school under competent foreign teaGners'
For many years. and up 10 the day or her death'
the V!ceroys wife. a most liberal wise and prac,
tical woman. had lady doctor to attend her % ana
-. l.s.v bot,
ment grew up The Viceroy himself has been at
tended FOR many years by the gentleman VINO Is
with him now. DIR. Andrew irving
The serious illness OF Ii Hung Chang in 1891 was
severe test not only OF MS own an m to the
Chinese traditional practice. which pressed heaViIy
him. For only the Niceroy ana ms Wiz VIZ 1
voted to the native folklore: and under the Vice.
regal roof were TWO veritable champions OF rsnc ~
on. his eldest true son ana ms ron-li,Iam, i, h hn
latter Imperial Comm. .ssion'r. disunguls,nsa
by combined buster and cowardice Bu. ne sn9wTd ,
cowardicc In his attacks on the sckoed OF @ NJ
to weary the old nan with their eNpos'ua.1p,,s mu q p,
agains, foreign medicine. and. having won over ms
daughter the wife OF 'hane-fe l'un, she kileit de
the sickb,d and mplored her father 70 DISMISS 'ns
foreign doctor. Then the oracle was consulted. ana
the response obtained Chang" the treatment
whereupon the efforts OF the reactionarirs "ere re-
doubled Weak he was. however the patent
hcld hrm. being greatly supported by the pluck OF =
Younger son. Ii Ching Nal This lad was at the
iime cnioying the advantage Of foreign education
and was consequently better able to appreciate the
Western science Of medicine than the rest or the
family He therefore charged himself Win IN"
dufv of seeing the doctors directions carried
ont .This was no easy task In a Chinese house.
where tho sickroom is managed much more
in tho fashion OF the two immortals. SaireE
and Betsy than according TO our modern prescrip,
lions Neither phy siological nor patholosicai
processes being in tho least degree rcckonen WIN
ih.. innumerabo delicate attentions needed 10 suS
tain a nckering life are entirely absent instead
of these there * an outcry of magic pills sprltual
IurantatiOnS and Quack nostrums OF every descrip-
o.
All the while the patient Is being talked 10 death
Iv Tho family who hold their councils at the ped.
sid. where they discuss the issues OF NE anu
de-, h aloud H. tho hearing OF the helpless victim OF
tE,ir lonunclty. I'm these noisy conclaVes at tne
bedside OF III Hung Chang the leaders OF me de-
bate we're In tho habit OF smoking thelr Acrm 10
bcro attendants standing by 10 MI ana hand thevl
the long pipe This alone was death TO man
who could scarcely gnt his breath. The doctor per
,mptorilv forbade the smoking. and was efectiveiy
backed by Young Ching Mai who would not al
low his elders To fumgatc the sick chamber IN
Tho matter Of nourishment. too which the tamily
uo,ld have restricted rice-water. the young fe-
low was equally determined TO SEQ the doctor
prescriptions carried out. 50 TAR IS ne was .api''
hno,hrr polnt was temperature" II was mdwlnt"i.
I'm . canadian climate, and Chinese houses, even
,bo h.st ~ Them are not alright The temperature
of tho room could only be kept up approximately
,o ,bo nor,nal bv means Of % stove. This was OBJ
ioc,ed 10 as un-('hnese by "th" Family, but mere;
again the Young ono fought for the doctor ana mad
his