On Disease Incidence in China
Year: 1917
Type: article
Abstract: Disease incidence among an ancient isolated people who constitute a quarter of the world's population should in itself be, of much interest from a medical standpoint.With the impending industrial and commercial development of the country it becomes a matter of increasing importance to the outside world.Yet it is a subject concerning which there is only the most meager and fragmentary data.Jeffries and Maxwell,1 in "The Diseases of China," the only comprehensive publication of the subject, state :"Certainly what we have to present is incom- plete, and we would make it plain that this is so, and that this chapter is, as it were, but a preliminary presentation of a study which the future must bring to completion."There is, broadly speaking, no medical profession in China, and there are no vital statistics.Prac- tically the only source of first-hand information in regard to disease incidence is from the small handful of western trained medical men work- ing in a few widely scattered, inadequately equipped and understaffed mission institutions.In the 1914 year book of the missions of China we find that the staff of European physicians of 264 hospitals and dispensaries totalled :i00 European men, 135 women and 112 nurses.The Chinese staff consisted of 94 physicians and a group of assistants and nurses of va.ried and uncertain attainments.During the year 1914, 126,788 in-patients and 2,129,774 out-patients were treated.* Approximately.
Source: New England Journal of Medicine
Author: Carl A. Hedblom
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2016582774