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Show A MOVING REPORT. 1913-1914. We have come to the parting of the ways. We are crossing the Rubicon between Pangkiachuang and Techou. An eleemosynary work that has blessed the Pangkiachuang region for over a third of a century is being moved north fourteen miles to the city of Techou. Started here by Dr. Porter in the early eighties and continued by others, this country village contained the only available hospital for several millions. Opposition to the foreigner has i.ow melted away. Neither Boxer ferocity, revolution, nor military revolt have interfered with our medical work, till now carried on in quarters painfully inadequate, and with equipment most meagre. But the gospel has been preached and tens of thousands have learned at least a little of the Prince of Peace. A dozen years ago we began planning and praying for the new hospitals, sorely needed, but many events conspired to postpone. On a memorable February noon-day Miss Bodman, here for a few days during her world tour of Missionary fields, representing our Northampton, Mass., churches, turned the "first sod" of the main hospital building, and thus initiated forces which will mean much for all time to come for many bodies and souls. But building a hospital in a locality where such an institution is unknown and in a country where there is not even suitable name for such is not easy. During the years of delay the Pangkiachuang buildings were calling for crutches of a kind we did not have, and so several were allowed to tumble. On our premises in Techou, South Suburb, (for more than ten years an out-station) was established, some eighteen months ago, a branch hospital, tho the buildings there were ancient mud structures. Now this branch has become larger than the parent hospital. At the time of writing there are about seventy in-patients there and twenty at Pangkiachuang. We are accomplishing the unusual and the unexpected, for, thanks to efficient and satisfactory native assistants, the work in the hospital in this transition year goes as much as of yore if under considerable difficulty. Though the one hospital is being demolished and in Techou unsuitable and temporary quarters are being used, a considerable medical plant is being operated in addition to the construction work. Heretofore there n a s been the Williams hospital at Pangkiachuang named after Dr. S. Wells Williams. Hereafter Techou will also have the Porter hospital for women (perpetuating the foundation labors of Dr. H. D. Porter) and a nurses' training school for both men and women. This department will be in charge of Miss Sawyer, and its existence will make possible much work that otherwise would be out of the question. It will also introduce the profession of nursing to Shantung, being the first training school in this ancient province of more than 25,000,000 souls. We have figured closely the approximate expense incurred yearly in the training of a nurse and find it to be about $36.00. We have faith that there are those who, in memory of what skilled hands have done for them in hours |