As though in sympathy with numerous other places, not in China only, Wenchow also has been undergoing the anxieties and discomforts fof a rainless season. City wells were all of them low, and the greater number almost dry. People would. walla half-way across a city to obtain free water from a deeper welt, until even these would be padlocked by the jealous neighbours of the well who feared for their own supplies. Large numbers of families had to buy their water from the countrymen who bring it in open-boats during Vary seasons from the _mountain streams further up-country. In. the plains outside the city farmers became seared for their rice crops. When eventually a couple of. typhoons brought rain it was said that two more days of drought only might [have destroyed the entire grain crop.
These typhoons were indeed a Godsend, for they brought rain and cool winds without striking the district with any destructive force. Steamer traffic was held up for some five days.
General Fast Ordered general fast from all meats for! three days was ordered by the authorities, ostensibly as a_hygenic measure during drought-time, but naturally accepted by the populace as a religious precaution to induce Fain. Rain actually came in torrents Jatter three days, but the fast was! prolonged a further three days dur-which time no pork or beef could be purchased, though fish was being sold, and it is always possible to get hold of a chicken or two. Probably, [nothing will ever remove the general conviction that because rain and fasting came together, therefore it is fasting that brings clouds and rain. Did sailors tossed on tumultuous waves off "the Wenchow coast know that their dangerous situation was caused by the empty meat-shops in Wenchow city?
This reminds me of yet another health regulation whereby beasts and pigs are not to be killed willy-nilly, but must be slaughtered in an ap: pointed place where inspectors can examine them for traces of infection, when they will be benned from the market.
These, above, are activities of the! "New Life Movement", as also are the mew opium regulations greatly increasing penalties for convictions. Fist offence. will" be light, second Hence heavy imprisonment or hard about road-making at Chu-chow, and third offence "the: death-penalty.
case of conviction, before passing udemest, the offender will be locked Up in the police sation without opium for a considerable period to break the habit afterwards he will receive due penalty.
A serious street fight took place last week between two rival bands of coolies, in which two were killed and over thirteen injured, some badly ured. One of the dead men was flung. into @ canal where he drowned, Near the same spot a day oro later jand during the typhoon a house out-ide the East gate caught fire and in Jdefiance of ten hand-pumped fire-engines, burned itself to the ground. Though the burnt house was surrounded by other houses they surprisingly escaped damage. Towards the finish of the fire, when a fire-man had ventured on the top of a tottering wall, it collapsed and ung him {into the debris from whence he was Fescued in a terribly burned condi-lon. They brought him to the Methodist Hospital where he languished for a time before dying, although alt the skin of his body but the soles of his feet and a small area of skin lon his chest had been burned away.
The Blyth Methodist Hospital has! just completed the addition of a maternity department to its services, the first of its kind in Wenchow. There is a very excellent set of rooms to receive a total capacity of some dozen patients, though there 1s irom for future extension if necessary. (This department will be in the charge of a certificated midwife, a Chinese Woman, who, however, will be assist-Jed when necessary by foreign memers of the hospital nursing stof.
The habit of entering hospital for confinement is rapidly growing Jamongst Chinese mothers, who are! beginning to appreciate the sad unsuitability of their small crowded houses for such occasions. By intro-Jducing these newer and better ideas, hospitals such as the Blyth are doing jan inestimable service to China.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.