The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-26
MEDICAL MlSSI0NARY'S
EXPERIENCE IN CHINA.
DR.. W. II. Park viii Lectare at
Trinity VI. L. Church Tonight.

DIR. W. IL. Park viii Lectare at
Trinity VI. L. Church Tonight.
DR.. W. II. Park. accompanied by his
wife and daughter. arrived in Savan-
nah yesterday afternoon and will re-
main here until tomorrow as the
guests OF the Woman's Foreign Mis-
sionary Society. and are at Trinity
parsonage. Yesterday afternoon AT $50
O'Clock the Missionary SoCety enter
tanned the congrega tions Of Wesley
Monumental. Grag-. GQworth and
Trinity al the parsonage Of the latter
church. and Ms Park made a very
pleasant and interesting address. The
house was p-etuly decorated for the
occasion and the rooms were filled with
attentive listeners while Mrs. Parks
was sYe4 k5uG. After the address dainty
refreshments were served and every
one met the visitors and talked with
them about China and their work
Dr.. Park Viii give lecture Tonight
in Trinity Church and not only the
Methodist cougrega tons. but the inter-
eS-ed public. are invited TO be present.
Dr.. Park is occupying an unique posi-
ton in his work in China, being the
first lay missionary ever sent out
by the Methodist Church. South He
made his first trip 10 China in 1882 as
a medical missionary and with the ex-
oeption Of two short furloughs has
given his time continuously to the
work During that time he has had
a great many experiences and In his
address he viii particularly stress a
trip made with a wealthy and in
fiueutial Chinaman who was pursuaded
to come TO the United States TO under
go an operation upon his eyes and hav-
ing been successfully treated, took
tour OF this country and returned TO
China ready to talk TO his countrymen
of the benefits of civilization.
In talking of the work accomplished
and the prospects of even greater re-
suits DR.. Park said that conditions
in China from a medical standpoint
were terrible. That there were no
hospitals and no medical colleges. A
doctor was a man who had spent more
or less time in the office of another
doctor and had bought or stolen the
right to announce themselves as pupils
Of their preceptors. When a man of
means is sick his friends try to get
as many doctors as possible and as
they come in rapid succession and
never deign to consult with each other
the patient has a pretty hard time.
The most that the native physicians
know is from accident or hearsay.
They have absolutely no knowledge of
anatomy or physiology and chemistry
Is not found among their books.
When he first arrived in Soochow,
which is city of 100000 in
habitants, the capital of the province
of Kiang-su. DR.. Park met with great
obstacles and was violently opposed by
the native doctors. He however. per-
severed and after pursuing private
practice started a hospital and his
success was such as to require an ex-
tension several times The hospital,
which was at first supported by the
Methodist Episcopal Church South, is
now self-supporting. A small charge
is made for all patients, but the de-
serving poor are really treated free,
while the wealthy Cinnamon often
made gifts to the institution in addi-
ton to the regular fees, after having
been inmates of the hospital.
1t is proposed to establish univer-
sity in Soochow when Dr. Parks re-
turns and a medical school will be in
cluded. At this DR.. Parks has been
promised the attendance of a NUMBER
of the prominent doctors of the city.
He has already taught a number of
young Cinnamon at his home in 500
chow, and speaks with pardonable
pride of three young doctors who have
gone from under his instructions into
the Chinese navy. Previous to this
there were no surgeons in that navy,
and there is no medical branch in the
Chinese army.
Dr. and Mrs. Park leave tomorrow
for Dublin. and will remain several
days. Mrs Park is the direct mission
airy of the Dublin Methodist Church
and desires to become better ac-
quainted with the congregation. 1t is
now the aim of every Methodist
Church to not only support pastor
but also one missionary in a foreign
land. DR. Park was sent out by the
general society. He is a native of
Northern Georgia and has many
friends and admirers in all portions of
the state. He was a classmate of Mr..
J. r. Saussy, Jr, of Savannah, and of
Judpa chandler of Atlanta