Official papers on the medical statistics and topography of Malacca and Prince of Wales' Island and on the prevailing diseases of the Tenasserim Coast / by T.M. Ward and J.P. Grant.

Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Official papers on the medical statistics and topography of Malacca and Prince of Wales' Island and on the prevailing diseases of the Tenasserim Coast / by T.M. Ward and J.P. Grant. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    extracted from hriites, while those taken from the bladder of man, a nohlei* animal, and more richly fed, are reckoned of no value? It appears to be a common l)iliary concretion; but so precious in the eyes of the Malays, as alw'ay« to be bought for its weight of gold. The Chinese were among the earliest settlers in the Peninsula, and now constitute a very coiisideral)le portion of the inhabitants of Malacca, of whom they are the most enterprising, the most opulent, the most indus- trious, and the most determined in the pursuit of wealth. They engross al- most all the trade of the place; cultivation, at least with any degree of spirit is carried on entirely by them, and they are the princij)al artisans and manufacturers of the station. Annually, fresh immigrations take place, and those who have made their fortunes return to their native country, thus producing a constant influx and efflux of real Chinese. By far the greatest proportion however, is of the mixed race of Chinese and Malays, originating in the j)oiicy adopted by the mother country of preventing the emigration of females. Tlie Mongolian features are much less marked among these co- lonists; who still however retain the oblirpie eye, long hair, high cheek hones, and beardless face, suliiciently to denote their origin. Tliey are a stout and linely made race, capable of bearing much bodily fatigue, tho’ deficient in courage. The higher orders among them are neat, and comfortable, cleaidy in their houses and persons, and fond of rich and high seasoned articles of food, which they use with the intention of producing a certain degree of cor- pulency, and hy this means acquiring a claim to respectability in the eyes of tlieir countrymen. AU classes subsist principally upon Rice, Pork, Fish, and Ponifry, with vegetables dressed in various, and very dainty forms. The lower orders, when they first arrive from China are subject to Piiagedaenic Ulcer, resembling that which affects the Indian Sepoys. The children of this tribe are very generally affected with Herpetic diseases. The Chinese are addicted to Gamlding, atu! many of them smoke Opium, but the latter is by no means a common practice at Malacca; and those who follow it are iTien of bad character, presenting a picture generally of the most squalid wretchedness. The Chinese practitioners of Medicine at Malacca, have from want of regular education, neither t!»e learning nor skill, which the Physicians of (he motlier conittry are said to possess. These even, in comparison with the progress whif h the healing art has made in Europe, are in a very low- state, Tiie Jesuits on their first visiting China, were struck vvith (he ac- quirements of the people, in many arts which at that early period were in theii’ infancy only in tlie west. Printed books had been in use among them from time immemorial, and the brilliancy of their dies, and beauty of their porcelain, were unrivalled in any part of the world. It is not s)»rpri- sing therefoie to find in the writings of these religionists, many exaggerated statements ofllie extent of science among that strange people, and particular praise given to their “ great and almost miraculous skdl in medicine.”* More extensive intercourse with the country however, and the great a<lvance in Europe of every art and science since that period have made later writers on the sulqect draw a very different picture of the real state of learning among them. “The whole sience among them” says Du Halde, “ consists in the knowledge of the pulse, and the use of simples, which they have in great plenty, and recommend as specifics in diverse diseases.”'!' Barrow quotes the following opinion of the great Dr. Gregory, respecting their medical skill. “ No such goofi medical aid can be obtained among the people of it ( China) as a smart boy of sixteen who had been hat twelve months apprentice to a • ViHe “ Extrait d'uneleUre de M. Andoi” “ iu the raemoires concernanl les Chinois*”—Voh 4. to p. VI t Uii Halde’s description of tbs Empire of China- Enjf'isb transition,—Fo/. Pol, II. p 104