Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 332 Current Status of the Medical Field
At the end of October 1879, in the Han mainland, with Chang'an (Cordoba) established as the new capital and the arrival of a long period of peace in the future, more and more Chinese families flocked to the areas around Chang'an City.

The place at the feet of the emperor and the heart of the Han State represents the center of power as well as unlimited opportunities and business opportunities.

In the city of Chang'an, on a dilapidated street left behind by the Argentines, one store after another was bought by Chinese businessmen from other places. After slight modifications and decorations, the front doors of those Western-style houses were soon filled with all kinds of goods.

Seventeen vacant stores around the pharmacy opened by Doctor Feng were all bought by other Chinese businessmen within a month. Three traditional Chinese medicine clinics opened for business at several locations diagonally opposite and in the middle of the street.

The capital is a prime place where officials and wealthy businessmen gather. The huge population means that a large number of doctors and pharmacies are needed to provide medical services and treatments.

At the beginning of the founding of the country, the Han Kingdom relied mainly on Chinese doctors who migrated from the mainland, Southeast Asia and other places to provide medical care. Doctors were a very important profession in the Han Kingdom in South America. The disease prevention and treatment of new immigrants on the sea and the treatment of local diseases were indispensable. Doctors, whether they were Chinese medicine doctors or Western doctors, played a vital role in the Han Kingdom society.

In terms of immigration selection and naturalization and settlement of new immigrants, Chinese medicine doctors have received preferential treatment to varying degrees. For example, immigration reception points have been set up in coastal areas of the mainland, and doctors with medical experience have been given priority in leaving by ship. The merchant ships they take have better and more spacious sanitary conditions. After arriving in South America, the two-year immigration adaptation period is shortened to half a year. At the same time, while they set up medical clinics in their home country, the government will sell them street shops and houses at low prices to ensure that the pharmacies can resume normal business as soon as possible.

In terms of business, merchants of medicinal materials closely related to the medical field are also exempted from some taxes, because many medicinal materials used in traditional Chinese medicine originate from the mainland, and the adaptive planting of introduced medicinal plants in South America is still in the promotion and experimental stage, which is far from meeting the local medical needs. On the other hand, due to differences in climate and natural environment, many herbal varieties grown in the northern region of the mainland cannot adapt to the local environment of South America. After these local medicinal materials are consumed, they are transported by long-distance sea transportation. The herbs purchased from the mainland are transported to the local area to alleviate the current shortage of supply in the local market.

The development of traditional Chinese medicine in the local area has not been able to develop rapidly due to the adverse effects of the lack of professional doctors and the high cost of some medicinal materials. However, Western medicine, which is on par with traditional Chinese medicine, has benefited from the progress in scientific fields such as biology, physics, and chemistry, and its scientificity and practicality have been greatly improved and developed.

The continuous influx of overseas Chinese immigrants and the outbreak of the local baby boom have led to an increasing demand for medical care. Between 1871 and 1878, the Chinese government sent 3278 students to Europe, of which 260 were medical students. After 1878, the Chinese government increased its attention and support for the medical field. In terms of official students abroad, the total number of students and the scale of medical students were gradually expanded. It is estimated that the number of official students will increase to 1880 in 1000, and the number of medical students will increase to 114.
In 1881, it was planned to send 1200 students abroad, including 127 students majoring in medicine.

In addition to sending students abroad, Li Mingyuan personally issued an administrative order to develop the Chinese and Western medicine industries equally, giving white doctors in the local area, especially in the newly merged Argentina and Uruguay, the same status as Chinese doctors, and encouraging Chinese families to go to the nearest Western medicine clinic for treatment and prescription medicine. At the same time, white Argentines who decided to stay in the Han country and accept the government's rule could also go to Chinese medicine halls for treatment.

In the development of Western medicine, professional medical books were partly translated and compiled by the first and second batches of international students who graduated from medical majors and were proficient in foreign languages, and partly by white doctors in church hospitals.

The Western churches established church hospitals in the Han Dynasty of South America and the Central Plains and spread Western medical knowledge. Of course, there was a belief component in curing diseases and saving lives, but their main purpose was to use the church hospitals to help patients, spread Western religions and open up markets for Western products to enter China.

The introduction of church hospitals and Western medical books had obvious utilitarian factors. However, in line with the guidance of discarding the dross and retaining the essence, Li Mingyuan did not regard church hospitals as a scourge, fearing that the Han people would be easily influenced and assimilated by church hospitals, and deliberately refused to introduce them. On the contrary, as long as the church hospitals treated diseases and saved lives, accepted more Chinese apprentices and translated more medical books, Li Mingyuan would not interfere too much with their missionary activities. After all, China has formed a unique oriental civilization system since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and it is difficult to be influenced by Western religious culture and lose its independence and autonomy.

According to statistics, there are 28 public hospitals and 80 private hospitals in the Han Dynasty. There are more than 300 private clinics. Of the more than 400 Western hospitals and clinics, about 300 were established by local white people before the Han army occupied the area and have been in existence until now. Of the remaining nearly 100 hospitals, about 40 were established by the Han government and more than 50 were established by foreign Western churches.

In terms of quantity, there are more than 400 Western-style hospitals and clinics, but each hospital and clinic is very small. For example, in a regular hospital, there are only three or four doctors who know how to treat medicine, and in a small clinic, there is generally only one doctor who knows how to treat fever and colds. Compared with these colleagues, Chinese doctors who have several years or even decades of experience in medical treatment are more trusted by Chinese families in the current medical field. For example, in the pharmacy opened by Doctor Feng, there are already several Chinese people waiting to see a doctor outside the door every morning before it is completely light.

He was busy from morning till night. After seeing off the last Chinese patient, Doctor Feng took the angelica, wolfberry, rhubarb, astragalus and other medicinal materials he brought from his hometown to the herbal medicine store and placed them in a small cabinet according to categories.

"Boss, there's a young man who looks like a businessman outside the door. He looks familiar. He seems to be the one who often hangs around in front of several pharmacies on the street."

The woman, with her newly revealed belly, slowly came to her husband and said.

"It's Shopkeeper Huang. He should be here to discuss the medicinal materials business with me."

Doctor Feng put down the herbs in his hand, turned around, helped his wife sit down, and reminded her, "I can handle the things outside by myself. You are pregnant again, and your body is not convenient. Just rest assured to take care of the baby in the backyard, and don't go out easily."

"Dabao was a little naughty. He just ran to the door of the pharmacy on the street. I followed him to the door and saw Manager Huang standing outside the door looking in. So I welcomed him into the pharmacy and asked him to sit down. Then I went to the backyard to tell you."

"Dabao is over one year old and is becoming more and more naughty and mischievous."

Doctor Feng laughed and cried, "I'm sorry to trouble you, Madam. Tonight, we'll have someone install a wooden door in the backyard walkway. This will save Dabao from running around and disturbing your rest during your pregnancy."

"It's not a big deal. I heard that the ocean-going fleet in the South Seas has resumed sailing. My brother and two sisters should be on board with Dad. In a month or two, they will arrive in mainland China. With them helping to manage the pharmacy business, you won't have to be as busy as you are now."

"After my father-in-law, my second brother, my third sister, and my fifth sister come here, our family will be reunited. Someone will help you take care of Dabao, and my second brother will follow me to treat patients. Our family can be said to have taken root in South America."

"My second brother and third sister are not young anymore. After they come here, I will keep an eye out to see if there are any suitable families and arrange their marriages as soon as possible."………………

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(End of this chapter)