The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-20
DRUG CLERK TO KINGS DOCTOR
DIR It. II. HAYS NOW SURGEON MAJ
or OF SIAMEsE NAVY.

Once Employed as Drug Clerk in
This City-Went to bangkok. Siam,
as Physician to the Presbyteria n
MisSioR-Became Physician TO the
Court and king and Created Sur
Eeon Major of the Navy-Estab-
uShed Hospitals and Colleges Ina
ChuIaIOngkOhrn' Empire-lnci-
dents In an EventfuI Life.
DR.. Thomas H. Hays of Bangkok, Siam,
and Mrs. Hays are at the De Soto. DIT.
HAYS is an old Savannahian, who by Tie
exercise Of perseverance and pluck and
determination has arisen from modest
position here to posts Of prominence and
trust at the Siamese court
Dr. Hays was born in Charleston. and
received his early education in that citY.
AT the age Of 20 ne came to Savannah,
and was engaged as a clerk in the drug
store of c. NJ Hi.lsman, at Broughton
and West Broad streets This was IN
1870 After two years with Mr.. Hillsman
ne entered the service of W. B. Hardee,
who was engaged in the same business.
and with whom he remained for two years
and a half. In 1873 he went to Baltimore
and entered the Maryland College OF
Pharmacy, from which institution he was
graduated in 1876. After his graduation
he entered the marine hospital service as
hospital steward, serving first at Baltimore
ond afterward at Portland. Me He re-
signed his warrant as hospital steward to
return to Baltimore, where he took
course in medicine at the University Of
Maryland.
In 1886 DR.. Hays re-entered the marine
hospital service, this time as assistant
surgeon. He remained in the service only
a few months, during which time ne was
stationed at Wilmington N c., resigning
TO accepC the post of surgeon to the Pres
byterian board OF missions, with the desire
ana Intention Of being assigned to duty
in some foreign country. He was assign
ed TO Siam and sailed from San Francisco
for Bangkok on Sept 2, 1885.
He was with the mission board in Siam
for two years, acting as surgeon to the
missionary colony. At the end of this
time ne was offered n position in the gov
eminent service and accepted il. His
first duty with the government was the
establishment and organization of three
hospitals, which were from the first sue
cessful, and are now in a Furnishing con-
dition. They are all free and are sup
ported by grants from the CROWN Al
this time DR., Hays also established and
put into operation the first lunatic asy-
lum founded in Siam and formed the nu-
cleus of a medical college. This latter
was his especial hobby. and he devoted
much time and study towards making il
a success. At first this was a difficult
matter, the work being hampered by lack
of instructors and other obstacles that
had to be surmounted. Gradually these
latter We're overcome, instructors were i'm
ported from America, and the college is
now in full and successful operation and
doing noble work.
In 1888 DR.. Hays was appointed consult
ing physician to the court and though
never appointed to the position of court
physician, for nearly three years he exer-
cised all the privileges and performed all
the duties of that post. He resigned in
1895 and opened private practice In Bang
kok and other parts of the country. About
this time he also established two large
drug stores. In 1898 he was made surgeon
major in the Siamese navy, which position
with others of distinction and RESPONSE
bility, he now fills. His commission as
surgeon major puts him in command of
the medical staff of the navy which con-
sists of about dozen modern warships
The navy is small. and will probably be
kept so. the isolated situation of the coun-
try politically and its protected position
geographically rendering larger naval
force unnecessary.
Since DR.. Hays has had charge of the
medical department of the navy he has
established the naval hospital, which is
now under his direction. He was also in
strumental in the establishment of the
hospital for Europeans, at which he has
his residence, and of which he Is chief
surgeon. These institutions are supported
from the royal revenues, and, like others
so supported, are free.
At the De Soto last night Dr. Hays talk
ed interestingly 90 a Morning News re-
porter regarding his eventful career his
work at the Siamese capital and of the
country and people. Bangkok Is a city
of 100000 people, anGj much like Venice
in that the streets are principally water
ways, and that transportation from place
10 place is mainly by steam launches and
gondoias, Through the principal street
four miles in length, runs an electric tram
way. and the entire city is lighted by
electricity. There are many handsome
modern structures, and the place is fan
from being the barbarous capital tina
exists in the imagination of some people 81
The present monarch, Chulalongkohrn
is an educated and enlightened prince. af
fable, approachable and most generous anC
liberal. From his own revenues he ha.
endowed many institutions of charity an,
learning, among them hospitals, colleges
and, lately, a large school for girls, al
innovation hitherto unheard of in tina
country. This latter Is situated in mag
nlhcent building, is richly endowed an,
has many pupils. The king encourage
absolute liberty of opinion in matters o
religion, and persecution for religions SAX
is unheard of. The prevailing creed /
Buddhism, which is the faith of the cour
and king"
so far as relates to converts to Chris
tianity the missions are decided failures
1t is hard to wean the more interigen
classes of the natives from belief in in
beautiful and unsciish creed of their ia III
ers, with It's doctrines of universal benev
olence and final universe. redemption. an
the converts made by the missionaile
are few and of the lower classes. tn
missionaries, however are doing mob
work in the education and civilization +
the people and hope gradually to wea
them 90 the Christian faith. 1 dout
their success"
he