The ninth report of the Ophthalmic Hospital at Canton : for the quarterly term ending Dec. 31st, 1838 / By the Rev. Peter Parker, M.D.

  • Parker, Peter, 1804-1888.
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The ninth report of the Ophthalmic Hospital at Canton : for the quarterly term ending Dec. 31st, 1838 / By the Rev. Peter Parker, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    twenty rods, and be enabled to go through the requisite ceremonies of kneeling and bowing in the presence of his superiors. As he is still under treatment the particulars of his case will be given hereafter. A- ijother visitor of rank was Lew, the chief magistrate of the district in which the factories are placed, and the officer, consequently, who appeared, so acceptably to foreigners — to disperse the mob collected before the factories — on the memorable l'2th of Dec, when a little longer delay might have placed the lives and property of foreigners in imminent jeopardy. The application of this officer is especially inter- esting, as, from his situation, he is the proper authority to take cog- nizance of the hospital, had it fallen, as an innovation, under the displeasure of the local government. But by personally receiving aid from it, and by speaking of it in terms of commendation to his friends, he is virtually sanctioning it, aud giving it influence among the people, by whom it is extensively known that through it he has been essentially benefitted. Mis nephew and several of his friends have also been received as patients, and some are still under medical treatment. In one of his visits he likewise introduced Hingan, a footseaug or colonel, who had recently been in command of the forces stationed in defence of the capital of Kwangse, and was then on his way to Peking. This officer was suffering from rheumatism : as he did not return a second time, he was probably compelled to continue his journey to Peking sooner than he had at first anticipat- ed. One other officer may here be named — Lew, seunpoo (a civili- an, whose function is nearly that of a European aid-de-camp) to the governor of these provinces. Unlike the others just mentioned — who have preferred their requests for medical attendance through How- qua, or some other of the hong merchants, and have arranged to be seen at the commercial houses of those gentlemen, in preference to coming with the multitude to the hospital — this officer came to the institution, and on one occasion remained to witness the operations that were being performed. He was much interested to see the depression of a cataract, to hear the patient, who had been blind for several years, exclaim, immediately on the removal of the needle, ' I see light,' and to observe her count, in a minute after, the fingers held up before her. He was particular in his inquiries, wishing to know how long she had been blind, if much harm would not follow the operation, &.C. On his return, a week after, he found the patient had already been discharged, not the slightest inflammation having followed, and her sleep at night not having been in the least degree disturbed