The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-06-24
CHINESE DOCTORS ARE PoPU-
 LAR.

Have a Big Practice In western Cttless
 and Their Pharmacopoeia is very r Queer. ..
 Among the most successful phyic- clans in the United States, judging by the number of patients they treat, are the Chinese. Their practice is by no means confined to those of their own race. Strange as it may seem, soms of them in the cities of California have n larger number of patients among the Americans than the, doctors of other nationalities. The chinese doctors may be divided into two classes, although the American law does not recognize either class as legitimate physicians One class treats persons of its own race almost entirey, and does not ena- l,loy medicine so much as it does anu lets and what is called in the United States magic to drive away the evil spirits supposed to create disease. Some of these quacks are to be found in nearly all the western cities, but the Sligher grade Chinese do not patronize them. The other class of doctors as-' sert that they give treatment which their ancestors employed centuries be- fore Christ and that the gift of heal ing has been handed down to them through the ages. The majority are the descendants of physicians who lived either in the United States or China, and in their offices can be seen ancient books in the native tongue, as well as gorgeously decorated diplomas which they cherish as heirlooms. Such cities as San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and other large communi- ties have physicians some of whom re-. ceiVe from one hundred to three hun dred American patients, for very few of them make visits unless the illness is very severe, when they charge an unusually large fee to repay them for the time lost in leaving the office. Tha most noted Chinese doctor, perhaps, on the. Pacific coast died several years ago He resided in Los Angeles, and actually received fees amounting to between sixty and seventy-five thou sand dollars yearly. Frequently in ons day he would examine and pre- scribe for two hundred persons, and his office hours were positively from early; in the morning until midnight. The nephew of Le Pc Tai, the physi- clan referred to, took up his uncte's practice in Los Angeles, and, it is ad- nitted, has more cases than any of the American doctors in the city, although they number about one hundred and fifty. .45,s. s ....:..
 The method of treating sick persons adopted by Chinese doctors in some cities is similar to that of the other physicians of the United States and those of Great Britain. They depend much, however on the examination of the pulse Their sense of touch is so wonderfully developed that, it is claimed, they can determine the con- dition of the lleart as well as some of the other organs merely by the feeble ness or strength of the beats; but they say there are no Isss than twelve dif- ferent movements of the arteries in the human body, all of which can be detected by feeling the fingers, wrist and arm. When a patient calls on him for examination the doctor first press es the arm, wrist and fingers, touching nearly every part. Sometimes ten or fifteen minutes are occupied with this examination. Then he may ask whether the patient Is married or sin gle, and also his age, but this is about thelimit of the examination. Appar- ently he can tell the nature of the dis ease without questioning further, and if the caller wishes a prescription he writes one in the ordinary Chinese characters on a generous sized square of paper. Ringing a bell, he hands the prescription to the Chinese attendant, who enters, for each physician has his own shop, filled with the ingredients which he uses in treatment. If he has a large practice he may employ a r1a- tive chemist, who makes up the pre- scription. One of the curious feaeures of Chinese msdical treatment is the way in which the physicians adfninis- ter thsir remedies. Nearly all the of fees of the principal doctors have what may be called tea-room attach ment. This is a spacious apartment, well lighted. frequently ornamented with Oriental pottsry and pictures, and containing small tables, each with two or three chairs. If the invalid does not wish to take his medicine at home he is ushered into this room, and while seat;d at one of the tables drinks his prescription as he would a cup of tea or a glass of wine. With but few exceptions the medicine is in liquid form, and served hot in dainty Chinese bowls, for most of it is composed of a decoction of herbs, Each table con- tains a bowl of raisins, and when the attendant brings in the medicine he also brings in a glass of tepid water. If the drink is bitter, as it usually is, the patient can sat some of the raisins to remove the taste, while with the water he, rinses his mouth and throat. Then he is ready to go home, return ing the next day for another examina- tion and dose,-Chambers' Journal.