Study On The Early History Of Soochow Hospital(1883-1927)

This essay is a case study on the famous Soochow Hospital which was started by theAmerican Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The author intends to review the course andhistorical status of this hospital from the standpoint of social, medical and christian history,and meanwhile reveal some appearances of medical missionary enterprise and the conflictsbetween modernizing China and powerful Western world. The mission movement andindustrial revolution all around the world and the treaty system Western countries put onChina promoted the foundation of Soochow Hospital. This essay also searches on theinside running and management of this hospital including medical work, evangelicalism,finance and medical education, and on that base discusses a number of important issues onmission movement and medical enterprise. Then the contributions of Soochow Hospitaldid which including the modernized hospital and its new system and ideas, medicalprogress, motivating the reformation of Chinese medicine and promoting public healthcareer to the local society are expounded thoroughly. Besides, the relationship between thehospital and local society is also not neglected which includes the reformation of socialideas, social programs and social customs, and so on. The last part of this essay concludesthe reasons and historical status of Soochow Hospital.