Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 September 1911 — Woman’s World [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Woman’s World

First Woman In China to Practice Medicine.

Is It possible for an eastern woman to enjoy western education and training and remain characteristically oriental? This is a question frequently asked by Europeans interested in the education and progress of eastern women.

To see Dr. Yamei Kin. China’s first woman doctor, and. better still, to hear her speak in perfect English of her hopes for the further progress of Chinese women, is to answer the question in the affirmative. Dr. Yamei Kin stands for the well balanced oriental woman, familiar with the science, learning and methods of the west, but losing none of her own nationality. She is typically Chinese in appearance. There are the pale complexion, the dark hair, the small dark eyes, twinkling with fun. Small in stature, but alert and active in body and mind. Dr. Kin wisely retains her Chinese dress.

It is more than twenty years since Dr. Yamei Kin took her degree at the Women’s Medical college. New York, now merged into Cornell university. The years spent in the west have taught her much besides a wonderful command of the English language and a knowledge of medicine and surgery. She does not approve of ail she has heard and seen, but she recognizes that modern science is the greatest gift of the west to the east today. In method there must be adaptation rather than adoption. She is now intrusted by the Chinese government with the organization of a medical department for women in northern China, a huge task which calls forth her splendid abilities. A start has been made at Tientsin. A hospital, dispensary and medical school are in existence. How they came into being is characteristically Chinese. Land, on which were some very ancient buildings, was allotted to Dr. Kin for her new organization, with an assured revenue. That was the government's part; she was to do all the rest. "‘You must make your own plans and carry your scheme to success.” This meant that she had to be her own architect and engineer and carry out the work with the aid of a few ordinary workmen. There were the water supply to be planned add sanitary work to be done, as well as demolishing some of the old buildings, replacing them with new ones and adapting others to her purpose. The transformation was worked. The architect and engineer are now .sunk in the doctor and director. Dr. Kin’s aim is to make sure progress and lift the people step by step to better sanitation and hygiene. In her establishment she maintains Chinese customs so far as possible and introduces only such western methods of sanitation as are Indispensable. Her students enter for a two or three years’ course: their method of life is Chinese, also their food, which Dr. Kin shares with them in order that she may be the first to complain if anything should be wrong.

DH. YAMEI KIN.