傷一下國人的自尊心：老外是怎麽看待中醫的

　　中國人的荒謬觀念——對醫學驚人的無知（節譯）



　　紐約時報 1890年4月2日



　　（翻譯gadfly）



　　昨天下午亨利·德雷頓博士宣讀了一篇題為“醫學在中國”的論文。該論文

由在廣州醫院工作的E.P.斯威教授撰寫後交給亨利·德雷頓博士在人類學學院宣

讀。斯威博士宣稱，科學在中國不存在，幾個世紀的積澱下來的慣例，留下來的

是一大堆理論，揣測，傳統和迷信，但很少（有用的）知識。



　　一個原因是中文。中文是所有語言當中最冗長累贅的一種。因為自己學不會，

中國學者往往對其他語言無動於衷。但人本身的無知和偏見是比這個更大的障礙。

中醫的學習方法和傳授知識的手段難以克服。單單一本關於藥理和治療的著作就

有40卷，引述了756名作者。一本關於植物的書共有60卷，1715幅插圖。雖然人

體中找不到一寸中國人忘了起名的地方，但是因為人體解剖在中國是被禁止的，

中國人對生理解剖有一套最荒唐的概念。他們認為食物通過脾進入胃，咽喉可通

心髒，靈魂位於肝髒部位，而胃既是呼吸之處也是歡樂之源。他們認為頭蓋骨就

是一整塊，手臂也一樣。右腎是命門，各器官都與水、木、金、火、土有關。故

有“心火，肺金，腎水”之說。



　　所有診治都離不開相生相克的雙重原則，草藥，符咒，神像，和其他許多奇

咒怪符的手段都可以用於治療。手術在中國是完全是一片空白。因為他們相信，

肢體不全的人來世轉生，仍然會缺胳膊少腿。學醫的人是通過一個銅製模型來學

人體解剖，銅人身上布滿了穴眼，並標上經脈的名稱。中醫裏經脈共有三類，每

個手腕的經脈又可細分為24種。因此，中國的醫學生要學習144種脈象才能熟悉

中醫係統。【注：中醫裏有七表八裏九道共二十四脈，但google不到2x3x24=144

的依據】此外，神像也被投入使用，病人什麽地方患病，相信隻要按摩神像的相

應部位就可以治愈。因為誰都可以當醫生，所以遍地都是庸醫和騙子。即使如此，

法律還是規定耽誤病情等同於騙錢，所以有一例病人死亡都有可能導致醫生掉腦

袋。



　　ABSURD CHINESE NOTIONS

　　REMARKABLE IGNORANCE OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY IN CHINA



　　Published: April 2, 1890

　　The New York Times



　　“Medical Science in China" was the title of a paper read before 

the Academy of Anthropology yesterday afternoon by Dr. Henry S. Drayton. 

The paper had been prepared by Prof. E. P. Thwing of the Canton 

Hospital, and was sent by him to Dr. Drayton to be read before the 

academy. Dr. Thwing declared that science did not exist in China. The 

usages of centuries had crystallized, and there was an abundance of 

theories, speculations, traditions, and superstitions, but very little 

knowledge.



　　One cause of this was the Chinese language, the most meager and 

tedious of all tongues. The Chinese scholar was indifferent to other 

tongues because he was unable to study them in his own. But still 

greater obstacles than this were the ignorance and prejudice of the 

people. The method of study and the means of information afforded a 

Chinese doctor were difficult to overcome. A single Chinese work on 

materia medica and therapeutics was in 40 volumes, with quotations 

from 756 authors. A work on plants was in 60 volumes, with 1,715 

engravings. As the dissection of the body is forbidden in China, the 

Chinese have the most absurd notions of anatomy and physiology. They 

believe that food passes from the spleen into the stomach, that the 

larynx leads into the heart, that the soul is in the liver, and that 

the pit of the stomach is the seat of breath and the source of joy. 

They regard the skull as one bone, likewise the arm. They regard the 

right kidney as the gate of life, and hold that each organ is related 

to earth, air, fire, metal and water. Fire rules the heart, metals the 

lungs, water the kidneys, and so on.



　　All application is made on the dual principle of action and 

reaction, and herbs, incantations, idols, and numerous other pagan 

means are used in treatment. The medical students study anatomy from 

the copper model of a man, which is pierced with holes and marked with 

the name of pulses. These pulses are divided into three wrist pulses, 

and each wrist pulse is subdivided into twenty-four others. Therefore 

the Chinese medical student has to study 144 pulses in order to become 

familiar with the Chinese system of medicine. The idol is also brought 

into use, and it is believed that the part in which the patient 

suffers may be cured by rubbing a corresponding part of the idol. 

Anybody may become a doctor, and consequently quacks and impostors are 

abundant. Still the law holds that to prolong a disease is equivalent 

to stealing the money obtained from the patient, while to have a case 

terminate in death may result in the doctor losing his head. In spite 

of all these difficulties the Chinese race constantly increases.



　　Surgery is utterly unknown to the Chinese, as they believe that 

any disfigurement in life will be transmitted to the next world - that 

a one-legged man will become a one-legged angel. And yet the Chinese 

are capable of becoming excellent surgeons, for they have all the 

coolness and deftness. The changes within the last fifty years in the 

practice of medicine in China had been marvelous. The invasion of 

European and American doctors had wrought a great change, and the 

Chinese were at last gradually awaking to the necessity of a 

scientific study and practice of medicine. The people had learned 

where to find relief and were denouncing their priests and quacks. 

China was an unlimited field for women physicians, as a Chinese woman 

would suffer almost anything before she would submit to treatment by a 

male. Vaccination had been recently introduced and sixty mission 

hospitals in China with eighty doctors in attendance, and an effort 

was being made to establish an asylum for the insane, something 

hitherto unknown in China. The conservatism of the Chinese was a great 

barrier to advancement in the knowledge and practice of medicine, but 

it was being overcome slowly but surely.



　　In the discussion that followed, J. Stewart Happer, who was born 

in China and had spent much of his life there, gave some interesting 

information about the country and its people. He said that the 

opportunity for individual development was as great in China as in the 

United States. Civil service was in its best form there, and any poor 

Chinese boy might rise to the highest government office.

所有跟帖： 

• 咬文嚼字後或吐或咽哈 ；－） -無牙- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/06/2011 postreply 13:36:06

• 你總算忍住沒拍磚，手下留情，多謝 ；－） -加州老李- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/06/2011 postreply 13:50:15

• 無牙者不咬人哈 ；－） -無牙- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/06/2011 postreply 17:19:35