(Peking Gaztte, Tung-chi 1V., xi., 28.)
The Shen-hsi Censor Hu Ching-tin makes a re regarding necessary improvemeate in the instruction of the Imperial physicians, and begs the Emperor to consider it favourably.
It is my opinion that medical learning should include a knowledge of the ever varying atmospheric conditions, and the character of different regions, 0 that the effect of the seasons may be accurately' c#- timated and maladies be thus more effectually discomfited. The sages were competent to do this, but medical science is so important and so profound that foolish men are not able to comprehend or fathom it. Under this dynasty there has been established a supreme inedical board for the sole purpose of attending to medical matters. And in the time of Chien Zung (A. D. to. the effect that the Yi tering Chin Chien (Golden 1736 to 1796) the Imperial pleasure, was, promulgate Mirror for the perfection of healing) should be revised and corrected. The Emperor further composed an edict to be prefixed to the work, and thus proved the high importance he attached to this study. From that time to this, though the theory has been excellent there have been no men to carry it into practice. My opinion is that it is because the study of medicine ix very intricate and obscure that the Ling-chu-eu-wen Chin-kuei-yao-liao (Repository of important facts). in which the nature of disease was fully explained and various prescriptions were given. In fact the whole range of medical science was comprised in these works, '80 that his successors should be able to attain the same. knowledge that he possessed, and that the people of the universe might be healed and live. But as period after period has passed by since the time of.the Han the language of these books has become obsolete, and few understand it, while the works themselves are in the greatest confusion. Yet there are many who imagine that they understand these books, and who expound them, each according to his ability, so that the commentators of one class differ from the commentators of another, their patients meanwhile being the sufferers.
I consider that no limited period should be devoted to medical training, but that on the contrary many years should be spent before a claim to knowledge should be allowed. Even within the supreme medical board there are men distinguished by official rauk, of whom there may perhaps bea few who are ted with medicine, but by far the greater number hang up their signboards and rank themselves among physicians without any right at all. There are even some whose eyes have never rested on the writings of the sages, but who have stolen a little knowledge about the nature of drags, and have somehow learned that there is such a thing as the pulse. By such fellows drugs are not used to cure diseases. but diseases are used to get rid of drags. Hence under their caro a Tittle ailment becomes by treatment a serious malady, and a mere trifling disorder is soon transformed into a fatal disease. Whether the disease be trifling or serious, whether it arise from cold or from heat 1s all. one to them, and thus not understanding drugs they administer them,.and being ignorant of disease they pretend to cure it. By such means incalculable evil done, yet men of this kind may at any moment be called to prescribe for Your Majesty. A calamity in ch a quarter would be a calamity indeed. Your servant thinks that there is no skilled physician to be found at present, since there is no one that has devoted himself to the science of medicine. 1 indeed make no claim to penetration, yet it seems to me that for the future the members of the supreme medical cwncil should be subjected to rules of promotion similar to those which obtain in the Imperial college. if Your Majesty sees tit such a decree as the following might with advantage be issued at a convenient time A Decrer.—The nigh and low officials in the Supreme Medical Council are immediately to submit to an examination.
Again, the Board of Rites should be directed to select certain high officials to conduct the examination. And the examiners should give toro sets of questions—one concerning the nature of internal injuries and This is a work on Medicine ascribed to the period of the five Emperors (B. C. 2852 to 2255), and so terse in its style as now to be perfectly unintelligible,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.