FAMINE IN CHINA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 9 April 1930, Page 8

FAMINE IN CHINA

PEOPLE SELLING THEIR CHILDREN"

Conditions in China brought about by tho famine are described by Dr. Sturton, of Hang Chow Hospital, China in a letter which has been reproduced in the "Church News." Dr. Sturton traces sonic of the difficulties which beset the evangelical and hospital movements.

"Quite a large sum has been collected lor famine relief in the south of this province," states Dr. Sturton. "Conditions in some places at'o too terrible for words, and even in this province people have been selling their children. Many of our friends have been grieved, because our medical school has remained closed. There now seems a possibility of our being able again to play a part in medical education. Many of the Christian institutions in East China, such as St. John's University, Shanghai; Soochow University; Nanking University; and ilangehow Christian College have formed what is known as the "East China Federated University.' It has been proposed that we should link up with this large Christian Federation, and that our part in the new work should be the training of final year medical students. "It is' oniy fair to mention that, in addition to our many encouragements, we are also experiencing a great many difficulties, as we have been ruthlessly attacked in the newspapers now for several months. The attacks obviously originate from anti-Christian and antiforeign propagandists, and probably in some cases from low-grade medical prac-' titiuners who are jealous of our professional . reputation. Their latest method has been to seize on the unfortunate death of a maternity patient whom 1 attended with two of our Christian nurses early in December, and to insist that we killed the patient. As h matter of fact, her friends made her sit up in bed, and they also gave her somo medicines of their own. Our enemies are now threatening legal action against us on a charge of malpractice. The unilateral abrogation ol extra-territoriality in China lias, ol course, made our position more difficult than it was before, as our enemies think wo are now at their mercy. We mean, however, to keep on with our work, and to trust to the justice ot God to overrule all these crafty attacks on His work of healing tho sick and preaching the , gospel. W e would ask your prayers for our enemies that their hearts may be turned."