CHINESE DOCTORS' FEES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1800, 27 March 1888, Page 3

CHINESE DOCTORS' FEES.

I Tho new District Magistrate of Sbsnghal, r bouvs >..f wh sa doings havo already boon a reported, has taken the nntive doctors m J baud. Lately ho ai?nt oue of his mcaf B&ngerß to a well-kuown doctor with a fee k of COO fiiieh— about half-a crown — to aak 1 him to visit a patient. Aa tho meaf uenger had atr.'o 1 * ordera not to any he ' wma from the Magistrate, tho doctor was 5 voder th« impre.Blon that the patient waa ' not an official, and accordingly ref :eed to j ' go. As^in the mo-songer waa sent, and j > again the doctor refused to ottend, Baying 1 that the fee was too sma'l, and that he 1 would not go for three tirnoa the enrjuni, ■ The third tlma the Magistrate, scut hi own cardj and iho doctor at onco hastened to ace him. On being interrogated why he had not come m the first instance, he made various excuses, which the Magistrate out short by observing that m futnre he would cut down tho. doctor's fees to such a low figure that It: would not be worth h!s while to continue prantlelng He gave the dootor the alternative of paying 5000 taela (£1250) to the Yellow River Fund. The fioe was ultimately reduoed ioSOOO taela (£751), and the doctor, it la reoocded, was very glad to get off ao easily.