The Medical Missionary Society in China was a Protestant medical missionary society established in Canton, China, in 1838.
The first work of the society was to support the ophthalmic hospital in Canton run by Dr. Peter Parker, a medical missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. The founder and first president was Dr. Thomas Richardson Colledge. The society split in 1845 when some of the members moved to Hong Kong. Only the Canton society continued into the twentieth century. In its heyday the society supported mission hospitals staffed by British and American doctors at Canton, Hong Kong, Macao, Amoy, Ningpo and Shanghai. A number of young Chinese men were trained in Western medicine in the society's hospitals in the early days.
See also Medical missions Medical missions in China
References
Wong, K. Chimin and Lien-Teh, Wu (1936), 'History of Chinese Medicine', 2nd edition, Shanghai: National Quarantine Service Couling, Samuel (1917), 'Encyclopaedia Sinica', London: Oxford University Press Lockhart, William (1861). 'A Medical Missionary in China', London: Hurst and Blackett Parker, Peter (1843), 'Report of the Medical Missionary Society 1841-1842', Macao Colledge, Thomas Richardson and Parker, Peter (1838), 'Address and Minutes of Proceedings of the Medical Missionary Society Canton, China 1838', Canton: Office of the Chinese Repository Choa, G. H. (1990), 'Heal the sick was their motto : the Protestant medical missionaries in China', Hong Kong : Chinese University Press