The times., 1899-03-06
A PHYSICIAN ROYAL.
The American From Whom Slams
Monarch Takes His Pills.

Baltimore. March 5.-From a far-awsy
land of sunshine and flowers, of green trees
and tropical breezes. where everything is
warm and fragrant. into the heaviest snow
storm and the most wintry weather that
have visited this city in twelve years.
there has arrived Dr. T. Heyward Hays.
the physician. friend. ard adviser of the
King OF Siam, who thirteen years ago left
Baltimore for that country and has been
there ever since.
DIR. Hays left here in 1886, going to Siam
to engage in missionary work. having
graduated in medicine from the University
of Maryland and later from the College of
Pharmacy. He worked as a missionary
two years, and then gave up the work at
the instance of the King, who had decided
to establish hospitals in his country and
wanted American brains to help in his en-
terprise.
DR.. Hays entered into the work with
zest and established in Bangkok hospital,
a medical college, and lunatic asylum.
Previous to that time there had been no
provision of any sort for the insane of
Siam, and no care had been taken of them.
DR.. Hays also established the only Euro
pean hospital in the country, and American
and English sailors are treated there at a
nominal cost. Other hospitals we're built
by him, and at the death of the King $
physician DR.. Hays was appointed to sue
coed him
In speaking of the country and its peo-
pie. DR.. Hays said:
The young Siamese are progressive. and
if you treat them squarely will treat you
the same way. The country is rich in rice,
teak, rubes, and sapphires. The King is a
wide man. with European ideas and
a bright mind. Physically he is fine-look-
ing and has an impressive personality. He
is endowed with plenty of energy. and has
the good of his people at heart. Our capi-
tai city. Bangkok, is thoroughly lighted
with electricity. and has population OF
$50 COO. The prevailing religion all over
the country is Buddhism, but there is nc
reason why the Siamese should not en-
brace Christianity if they desire. as there
is but one man in the kingdom who is
sworn to believe in Buddha, and that is the
King.
Our city government is based upon the
same principle as the modern city in this
country. There is a lord mayor and a
body corresponding to your city council.
Men who are especially fitted for the work
are placed at the heads of the different
departments. There is absolutely no poll
ties in national or city administration.
The Kings power is absolute, he hold
ing life and death in his hand, but only
on rare occasions and for aggravated
crimes does he sign death warrants.
Slavery has been done away with by the
present King. who decreed that every
! child born after he had taken his seat.
although its parents might have been
slaves. would be free.
MIR. f. E. Bennett and | are about the
only Americans actively engaged in bust
ness in Siam, the rest being in missionary
work. good many years ago the Ameri-
can flag was often seen in the harbor OF
Bangkok. and American schooners did a
brisk trade there. OF late years, however,
an American boat is rarity, and the
trade has been lost in some way.
The climate, of course, is warm, the
temperature never going below so degrees
| Everybody stops work at o'clock in the
| afternoon and turns to the clubs for
amusement. There is great deal oil
drinking. and with the maiarial nature
of the country il cannot be wondered at
that men. drop OFF suddenly. 1t is not un-
common to meet a man at a club one
afternoon and on the next be invited 10
his funeral. Notwithstanding this. the
country is good place for young msn
| with energy. and il is not a difficult task
| to be successful.
Il wish to correct q popular but error
eous idea that Bangkok is an inaccessib e
place to tourists. 1t can read iy be reach
excellent steamers. II is only FIVE days 10
Eonglong and four days to Singapore
People who travel around the word should
know that il does not break up thc;r
trip to stop in and see Bangkok"