Fourth Conference of National Medical Assoc. Meeting in Shanghai Shanghai is once more the gathering place of physicians from all parts of China, this time confined purely to Chinese medical men and women. That modern medicine has made rapid progress in this country since the establishment, of the Chinese Medical Association in 1914 can be easily gauged by the improved organization, increased number of members, and larger list of excellent papers read. And the fact that not only the public but also commercial houses having dealings with the medical profession have shown their increased confidence by the unusually prominent exhibition of medical goods, drugs, instruments, models, and books contributed such well-known firms as Burroughs Wellcome, Allen & Hanburys, Commercial Press, American Drug Company, Evans & Sons, Ayrton Saunders, etc. is significant. This exhibition held at the Y.M.C.A. is open to the outside public and is well worth visiting. Not only foreign products are shown, for some of the most interesting are pictures of Dr. Wu Lien-teh's fine plague work in Manchuria.
The Fourth Conference of The National Medical Association was initiated on Tuesday evening by the reception of Chinese and _foreign physicians and their families, numbering 160 people, given by the president of the Association at the Ningpo Guild. Nearly 150 persons attended and listened to a short address of welcome by Dr. C. V. Yui, the President, after which several Chinese ladies and some Russian friends entertained the company with excellent music and singing. It may be said, in passing, that the progress made by Chinese young girls in this respect has been surprisingly great.
Past Year's Procress ReviEwep.
On Wednesday morning, at nine o'clock sharp the business session of the conference started in earnest at the Y.M.C.A. auditorium with the inaugural address of the President on "A Retrospect of our Past Year's Work." in which he referred to the increased activities of the Association, the responsible part taken by them in the settlement of medical nomenclature, the distinctions obtained by different members, etc. and expressed hope that this progress might continue, if not _be enhanced, by more well-trained men returning to China after their studies abroad.
Dr. C. H. Lei (Tientsin) described a new organism found in patients with large spleens. Dr. T. M. Li (Peking) in a paper on ''Tra-chama in China," drew attention to its seriousness as a vital factor in public health work in China and submitted that as many as 65 per cent. of out-patients attending the Peking - Union Medical College showed this ailment. He urged that government and school authorities should prohibit entirely the use of common towels at schools, restaurants, theatres, etc. where this infection was mainly spread.
The visitors were taken round in motor-cars to see the General Hospital and the French Hospital, where Dr. Fearn and the Catholic sisters, respectively, were in charge. In the evening from 5.30 to 6.30 Dr. S. M. Woo of the National Health Council spoke before a large audience at the Martyrs Hall, Y.M.C.A., on "Public health in China" illustrated by moving picture films. The day's proceedings terminated with a dinner at Yih Kor Chuen restaurant, 62 Foochow Road, given by the National Medical Association to the delegates.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.