Page:Pearl of Asia (Child JT, 1892).pdf/327

Rh dread has given away before the practice of drinking introduced by the Europeans, and now many of the Siamese partake of strong drink not only as a medicine, but as a stimulant.

The native doctors, as a general thing, are self taught, but now the King has made arrangements to have a large class taught at Wang Lang hospital, where several eminent physicians lecture and take charge of the classes. Hitherto when a man was desirous of becoming a doctor he read one or two books or manuscripts on a special subject and practiced in accordance with what he had read. Sometimes he will read a number of books and manuscripts, and witness the practice of an older doctor and then in a year or so branch out as a full-fledged doctor. They make one or two diseases a specialty, none of them attempt to become a general practitioner of medicine. They know but little in regard to surgery and will send for miles to secure the services of a foreign physician. Doctors stand high in the estimation of the people; they look to them as their natural protectors, not only against the effects of disease, but the spells that the spirits may cast over them, and when a doctor fails of a cure he always attributes it to the spell of a witch or a spirit beyond the power of human skill to avoid, and thus retains the confidence of his dupes. The King always has a number of native physicians in his employ who live in or near the palace. He also has two regular physicians, Drs. Gowan and Haves, the latter an American of the modern school, and he is doing much towards advancing the young men in the hospitals in the study of medicine and surgery, introducing all of tho latest works and medicines. The