The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-19
HOSPITALS OF JAPs
Some Results Of Personal Investi-
cations, of DR.. A. A. Law.
JUST RETURNED FROM THE ORIENT
sion of the Flowery Kingdom,
He Says. Is Marvellous.

Japanese hospitals are interestingly
discussed by Dr.%A. A. Law, who has just
returned from Japan, in an article in the
last Northwestern Lancet. Considering
the limited time in which the Japanese
medical profession has been at work upon
modern lines, Dr. Law says it is desery-
ing of the highest praise for the advances
it has made. Japan" he says, "can con-
gratdlate herself upon the fact that with
in a generation her sons have put them
selves upon plane as high as that of any
of the older countries which boast civil
ization of centuries DR.. Law in his re-
view of the hospitals Of the island en-
pire, among other things, says:
Japan with her awakening made the most
of her opportunities, and sent her sons to the
countries of the world to be educated. To-
day she is reaping her reward. Her medical
men are, for the most part, thoroughly edu-
Gated In colleges abroad before they approach
their medical training. Their medical educa-
ton, in the main, is acquired in Germany
and England although few students come
to America but these mere particularly for
dental training. They generally cultl-
waited gentlemen, y speaking German, French
and English, although German is the official
language in her universities.
Diseases of Japan. 81 .>"
Japah is afflicted with the same diseases
that the rest of the world is heir. to-. Her
semioriental position. however, has exposed
her at various times to the ravages OF
cholera, plague and variola. Against these
diseases she has learned to take stringent
measures. Beriberi is a more or ire
quent disease, as it must of necessity be
with people whose diet consists so largely
ofsrice. Typhoid feyer is relatively rare, as
are the contagious diseases. Dysentery is
omnipresent, as it Invariably is in all coun-
tries where paddle fields are stagnant much
of the year. Japan's greatest scourge, now
ever, are pulmonary tuberculosis and other
pulmonary troubles. e.. ....... .-..
It is the hospitals the empire, however,
which appeal to us. We find at Nagasaki
practically no native hospitals, aside from
small ones in private houses run by native
physicians foreign hospital under the
charge Of the French nuns and with Or.
Bowie as chief, has sixty beds. This hospl-
tai is fairly modern. No surgery is done
| there. H1 s-a .. 49,.
ImperiaI gu" Hospital.
The splendid Imperial University hos
| pital at Kioto, DR.. Law says. is essential
| ly modern and is built on the cottage
plan. The buildings are of wood and are
situated in delightful garden. 1t has
| 300 beds and 200 will be added. Contlnu-
| ing, Dr.. Law says:
| Here are two splendidly equipped operating
rooms, thoroughly trained corps OF nurses
and a staff of forty native physicians. we
saw in one morning an ovarotomy, appen'
dyectomy, dissection of the neck, amputatlon
of leg, trephining, and attempted removal OF
| casserian gangllon. =. -s-
| The Japanese surgeons are deft and faclle
| operators with no mean degree of mechanlca
| skill Their aseptic technique Is thorough
| except that no gloves are worn.
| The Imperial Medical university OF kiote
is interesting In it's completeness. It's
| libraries contain all our own well-knoWr
text books and periodicals. as we'll as those
| of German. French and English authors. Its
| Instruments, however, are almost entlreS
| German, and German is spoken in the lecture
| The anatomical and pathological labora
| tories were splendidly equipped, the dlsseet-
| ing material being abundant and we'll pre-
pared. Some of the dried dissections were
especially fine.
| u. s. Naval Hospital.
Yokohama again, although an importan
| station, has no native hospital. England
| Germany and the United States have nava
hospitals here. Our own naval hospltal II
we'll worth attention. Situated hlgh on
bluff and overlooking the beaut1ful pay IL II
under charge of DR.. Harmon or the navy
and has eighty beds, fine, well-equlppet
| operatins room and splendidly arranged ant
ventilated wards, and is an altogether credit
able establishment. ,
The Red Cross hospital Of Tokyo is tn
model hospital of Japan. 1t is on the cot
tage plan, and has 22o beds 1t Is supported
by the emperor, who contributes Slo'ooo year
| lv and by the Red Cross society of Tokyo
Tn connection with it is a training school TO
i aoo Japanese nurses. The hospital staff con
sists of twenty eight men, and the chief sur
geon and medical director is Dr. Hashimoto
This hospital has splendid roomy wards an
nrivate rooms, both for charity and pay pa
II tients, and it enjoys an extensive dispen
sary practice. Like most OF the 9apanes
hosnita,s It lies in the midst Of beautiful
Iondccane garden, .-@H -'