Jan, 17.
Next week a joint medical Conference will be held in Hong. kong by the China Branch of the British Medical Association, and the China Medical Missionary Association. It is not likely that any great or startling medical discoveries will be announced, but such conferences are extreme useful as they bring together medical men from all parts of China who by collating their individual experiences and knowledge of recent advances in all branches of medicine, obtain a more comprehensive mastery the science and art of their profession to the great benefit of both foreigners and Chinese.
There are one or two features of the coming Conference, how-fever, which sill make it notable.
For the first time the large hod! of medical missionaries in China will meet with a considerable number of foreign physicians; who are not members of the Medical Missionary Association. The question naturally arises, would it not be to the advantage of the public, and of the medical profession in this country, if all Properly qualified physicians, whether Chinese or foreign, were united in one Association?" This question will be discussed at the Conference, but probably. it will not be immediately decided. Medical missionaries may be reluctant to - surrender, even nominally, the avowed and dis-tine tively' religious character of their organization. On the other hand, if the word "missionary {is retained in the name of the non-missionary. phy decline to march a banner which ix not their own, even though" ther value highly the raiggions work of the medical missionaries, Doubtless a judicious compromise will be suggested, and the final decision will be postponed so as to give time for further consideration. Another important matter will be the adoption by the Medical Missionary Associa tion of a Code of Medical Ethics primarily intended for the suid ance of its own members in their relations and duties to patients, to each other, to nurses, and to' the State. But it is almost certain that this code will be the foundation of whatever code is adopted in the future by the whole medical profession in China. These two measures, the formation of all reputable medical practitioners in China into one strong association and the adoption of a Code of Ethics which the members are bound to observe, in the opinion of many would be a great advance as it would tend to separate sharply the regular from irregular prac-titieners, the honourable and well qualified' from the reverse.
Especially is this separation needed for the benefit of the masses of Chinese, who in their mor ance become victims 80 easily of the quacks and unscrupulous. A few weeks ago a Chinese wounded in the knee went to a native, surgeon who seyed the wound together with ho more scientific care than if he were repairing a rent in an old and soiled garment. He charged two coppers for his surgical services. Foreigners in Shanghai who have had surgical fees to pay may as they think of t But ood service cannot be expected fat very small cost. In this ease! vound became infected and the patient died.
Such incidences as this appear to justify the letters of our correspondents who ienautly ask why the Mui ipal Council of Shanghai does not take the necessary steps to register all properly qualified physicians and to prohibit all others from practising medicine.
Tt would be easy to do the first
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.