THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 



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ferings of all kinds of victuals, candies, flowers and incense; of which, 

 however, they afterward scruple not to make use themselves. The sums ex- 

 pended are enormous," but every one considers it his sacred duty, and no 

 one murmurs. At stated times, when the body has mouldered into dust, 

 they go and wash the bones, and place them in an urn, which is generally 

 preserved above ground. 



The element of superstition which appears in most things pertaining 

 to Chinese life is illustrated by the. following: The belief prevails that the 

 infliction of demons on sufferers is by act of the gods, as punishment for 

 sins commuted as well in a supposed previous existence as in the present 

 life. The following case, among others, is given by Berdoe: Archdeacon 

 Grey found a grievously afflicted monk in a monastery in the White Cloud 

 Mountain. He desired to take him to the Canton Medical Missionary Hos- 

 pital; but the abbot took him aside and begged him not to do so, as the 

 sufferer had doubtless in a former state of existence been guilty of some 

 heinous crime, for which the gods were then making him pay the well- 

 merited penalty. 7 



WITHOUT GOVERNMENT CONTROL. 



Concerning the governmental control, or rather the want of it, in the 

 practice of medicine in China, it is observed that the ancient and unlimited 

 liberty of engaging in this business has not only rendered any educational 

 standard for admission impossible, but has made the number of prac- 

 titioners enormous. The following, however, as given by a German writer, 

 while it suggests governmental interference, has a more important bearing 

 upon what is the character of the profession. "The doctors," so runs the 

 edict of 1882, "have the bad habit of not visiting their patients before 

 one o'clock in the afternoon. Some 1 of them even smoke opium and drink 

 tea until late in the evening. These are abuses which the government 

 will under no circumstances permit. Doctors must visit their patients at 

 all times; if necessary, they must visit them several times a day. They 

 must think more about them and less about their fees. The public and all 

 officials are notified that a physician who does not come at once when called 

 can claim only half of his fees and expenses. If you physicians put off your 

 calls, you manifest your godlessness, and sin against yourselves." 



THE OUTLOOK. 



Had it not been for the exclusiveness of the Chinese from all other 

 peoples in the long past, not only more might have been known Concern- 

 's Si i doe from "Doolittle'* social Life of the Chinese." 

 'Fruiu ' Doctoiiny i' China," National Keview," May, 1889. 



