ThefoundersoftheHongKongCollegeofMedicineforChinese(HKCM)hadtheloftyvisionofhelpingtobringWesternscienceandmedicinetoChina,which,theyhoped,wouldcontributetothelargerobjectiveofmodernizingthenation.Thatthislattergoalwaspartlyrealizedthroughthenon-medicaleffortsofitsfirstandmostfamousgraduate,Dr.SunYat-sen,isawell-knownstory.FaithC.S.Ho’sWesternMedicineforChinesebringsthefocusbacktotheprimarymissionofHKCMbyanalyzingitsroleinthetransferofmedicalknowledgeandpracticesacrosscultures.Itoffersadetailedaccountofhowthepioneeringstaffofthecollegeandthefifty-ninegraduatesbesidesDr.SunovercamesignificantobstaclestoenableWesternmedicinetogainwideracceptanceamongChineseandtofacilitatetheestablishmentofsuchservicesbytheHongKonggovernment.SomeoftheseChinesedoctorswentontopractisemedicineinChina,butarguablythecollegehadmadethemostlastingimpactonHongKong.Hoobservesthatthetimingofthefounding(1887)andtheclosing(1915)ofthecollegecouldnothavebeenmorestrategic.Thelatenineteenth-centurybeginningallowedenoughtimeforHKCMtolayasolidfoundationformedicaltraininginthecity.Later,thecollegewasreadytoplayapivotalroleintheestablishmentoftheUniversityofHongKong,whichhadimportantimplicationsforsubsequentsocialdevelopmentsinthecity.
LATER KONG HO CHINESE MEDICINE WESTERN HONG
