this connexion. The late Dr. Livingstone, one of the surgeons belonging to the East India Company's Establishment, furnished Dr. Morrison, the first Protestant Missionary to China sent out by the London Missionary Society, with some very important information on the condition of the poor of China, their diseases, sufferings, modes of cure, &c. This was in the year 1819. Dr. L.'s communication is too long to be given here; but the result was, that Dr. Morrison immediately began to form a medical library of Chinese books—procured a complete assortment of Chinese medicines-opened a dispensary for supplying the Chinese poor with advice and medicines, superintending it himself from one hour to two hours every morning. Dr. Livingstone also gave pretty constant attendance, and rendered valuable assistance, which his long residence at Macao had prepared him for in a very eminent degree.

He says, "I am happy to say, that Dr. Morrison's Institution has already done much good: much human suffering has been relieved. Upwards of 300 patients have made very grateful acknowledgments for renovated health. No death has yet occurred." Thus, thirty years ago, was the atten

1 Morrison, Mem., vol. ii. p. 21.

H

tion of Christian missionaries in China directed to the subject, and here we see the germ of Medical Missions. In 1827, Dr. Colledge opened an Eye Infirmary at Macao, where, during the three years of its continuance, relief was afforded to 4000, of all ranks in life.

It would be tedious, however, to go over all the ground which the history of missions supplies on this subject and I shall not attempt to do so. I may be pardoned, however, for referring, in a sentence or two, to the mission in Siberia, to which I myself had the honour to belong. From the commencement of that mission-another of the London Missionary Society's missions-upwards of thirty years ago—the field being close upon the northern frontier of China, the missionaries found that it was for them impossible to resist the continual application for medical assistance the people made to them. As their own religious teachers were also physicians, they took it for granted that we too combined the two characters. The success of our attempts to cure diseases spread our fame, and brought patients from all parts of the country, and this continued till the mission was suppressed in 1840. The favourable influence of our practice, as administering to the ailments of the body, was manifest in its bearing upon our reception as teachers of the way of salvation; but had

CLAIMS ON THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. 105

one of us borne the specific character of a Medical Missionary, and practised as a surgeon-had we opened an hospital, and provided for the accommodation and relief of patients on a sufficient scalethe effect would, I doubt not, have been still more apparent; and this, I believe, will be found to correspond with the experience of those who have laboured in other fields.

On this part of my subject, (the proceedings of Medical Missionaries now in the field,) I find it unnecessary to dilate, since the facts brought to light have already been laid before the public in a small but comprehensive pamphlet by Dr. Macgowan, under the title of "Claims of the Missionary Enterprise on the Medical profession." A reprint from the American edition, with notes by Dr. Coldstream, has been perused, I doubt not, by not a few of the present audience.

The facts, then, are briefly these:

1st. That Medical Missionaries are everywhere received as the true benefactors of the people-obtain easy access even to palaces-and to the foot of the throne in Eastern countries-thus raise immeasurably, in personages of all classes and of every rank, the ideas entertained of Christian benevolence and skill, and pave the way for the mission of the Evangelist. This is exemplified in the reception of

Dr. Price at the court of Ava-of Dr. Bradley in Siam-of Dr. Scudder in Ceylon-of all the Medical Missionaries in China, in Africa, in the islands of the Pacific, in India, and in Syria.

In this department of Christian enterprise, we must acknowledge that our American brethren have outstripped us; and unless British physicians come forward more zealously, and in greater numbers than they have hitherto done, we shall still be behind in the race of philanthropy. We refer to the efforts of our transatlantic brethren, however, not in the spirit of jealousy, but in order to stir up to a noble emulation medical men of high talent, and of high principle, in our own country, that they may share in the glory to be won in this field, on which the voice of humanity and of religion unite in urging them to enter.

Seven years ago, when the Address of Dr. Macgowan, published under the title above given, was delivered, he could state, that "the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions had adopted as their settled policy to place a physician at every considerable station; and they had then in their service eighteen physicians, the greater part of them laymen-some however being, at the same time, ordained ministers."-P. 26.

There are at present twice that number of Medi

cal Missionaries in the field, including both European and American. This number, though still comparatively small, shows the strong hold the subject has taken of the minds of Christian men; and we confidently anticipate, that as the claims of Medical Missions become better known, and their beneficial results more extensively experienced, they will yet be multiplied manifold.

In Syria, a learned native of the country-Asaad Y. Kayat-who studied medicine in this country, is occupying a most interesting position as a healer of the diseases of his poor afflicted countrymen, and rendering these benevolent efforts subservient to their spiritual enlightenment. At Hong Kong, in the hospital superintended by Dr. Parker, 3000 patients have received Christian instruction as well as medical relief. One of the assistants in the dispensary, and a member of the little community of native Christians, was formerly a patient in the hospital.

At Shanghae, the numerous patients at the hospital receive daily instruction in Christianity. Every day a group of about a hundred men and women are found seated in the great hall, listening to an address from the Missionary. Dr. Hobson, with his coadjutor, Mr. Hirschberg, at Canton; Mr. Hyslop, at Amoy; Dr. Lockhart, at Shanghae;