[Some paragraph marks were added for ease of reading.]Please return [evidence that Abby passed the letter around to other people to read]
Peiyang Woman's Hospital, Tientsin, China.
Dear Miss Turner;
Your Christmas greetings came with Dr. McLean,s [sic] at the same time and they made me very happy. Life has been a busy one with me. I have been back almost three years and sometimes I feel that I have been back many many years. I have worked doubly hard this year on account first of flood then war. We were much scared of flood in fall. However we remianed [sic] at our work. The overflowed river is just one block from our hospital and we eagerly watched its overflow day by day. Our land is about five feet higher than street so we thought it would be safe for us to remain where we were. Besides it is always easy to close your work. We opened our gates to our patients every day.
Soon after the flood scare war came. Tientsin is just about three hours from Peking. I was at Peitaiho and war started. I came back just as soon as I heard the news. My vacation was only of one week,s [sic] duration. For two months we saw soldiers everywhere. Tientsin is the passing place of two opposing parties. The war was not so bad as the lawlessness of soldiers. We would not dare to be on streets at night in October and November. For my work I had to refuse calls from unknown families. We were urged to move to place of safety but we remained firm and did our work as usual. Militarists and their soldiers have made us their slaves. Their selfish motives have reduced us to unspeakable sufferings. Our lives and properies [sic] are their private tools. I have said again and again we are in suffering for we would tolerate such conditions. We are a too peaceful people and I have no use for ourselves. We do not live for we merely exist. If conditions continue as they are now I would be a revolutionist. If you want to understand anything of the present condition of China just read French history of her pre- revolution days.
As to our work we have suffered some. Things are much higher this year han two years ago. I have to be very careful in order to make ends meet. Coal is twenty five dollars per ton and at this price one cannot always get it. Food has increased fifty per cent. There are so many poor patients who have to get aid otherwise neglected. I planned to put in modern conveniences this fall and I did. I wanted to cancell [sic] my plan at first on account of lacking for fund. But I carried out my plan inspite [sic] of flood and war. My little work would at least give a dozen poor workers something enough to do for a month or so.
Millions are without work this winter. War blocks industry, war hinders growth and war kills youths. But the foolishness of it is that two opposing parties of the same country are fighting each other. The right hand is hitting the left hand of the same person. We as a people are not interested in their affairs for they are working for their selfish ends. I have suffered mental strain. When I was in America I noticed some people were actually sick on account of European war. I could not understand then but now I know how they suffered. Mental strain makes one restless. Discouragement and disappointment crush me at times. Individuals have ethical standards but national poiliticians have ethical codes of their own. Both Chng [sic] Tso Ling and Wu Pei Fu are militarists but both European and American representatives have shown then [sic] unneccessary coutesies [sic] and sold ammunitions to them. All these representatives care only for money. I have much respect for people who have strong principles. When occidentals come to Orient they become rotten like our militarists. Fortunately we as a people are not so insane and are conducting our business as usual.
Inspite [sic] of everything we are progressing. Public opinion ic [sic] changed. There are more children in school today than five years ago. Women are coming forward to their rightful places. Inspite of the financial difficulty our hospital has been able to put in improvements without incurring debt. This is about the end of 1924. Soon I shall make my report then I would know exactly where we stand. A wealthy merchant helped me to get an ambualnce [sic] for our patients. Our hospital patinets [sic]] have doubled the number this year. we have added two workers on our staff. In the coming year I expect to get my assistant to America for further training and I am inviting another Michigan graduate to join me in our work. If everything comes out well Dr. McLean may come and stay with me for a year or so. When she comes I want to devote more time for surgery.
Just two weeks ago we did an abdominal operation and patient had smooth recovery and was able to go home yesterday. We have very interesting cases all the time. We had a case of osteomalacia last night, the woman was about to give birth. Her pelvis is too small. It was to [sic] late to do Caecarian [sic] section as she had been infected by midwife. We were able to save her by applying narrow forceps. We had a case of monster a week ago. I have read in books but never experienced a case until this time. Evrything [sic] is going better with me this year for I have a better staff.
I am very anxious to get your letter which would tell me of the dedication of the laboratory and of your interesting work this year. I hope that someday you would be able to spend a year with me. Nankai College has a good laboratory for biology. The college is just four miles from here.
My father,s [sic] birthday came this week. My heavy work prevents me from taking a trip to Shanghai. Besides trains are loaded with soldiers and anything might happen to a woman. However I have sent a servant to Shanghai to bring my greetings to him. My father is sixty years old and is still very active in his work. I have not seem [sic] him for more than two years. Tientsin is only thirty hours ride on train but travelling is not so easy here.
There are two Mount Holyoke girls here in town. They are Missionaries of American Mission Board. They are in educational work. We examined quite a number of their girls in school. This is the first time when schools responded to our call. Colleges and high schools are requiring their students to undergo physical examination but primary schools do not pay attention to the health of their students. Among the eight students examined this year we found half of them are suffering trachoma and of the equal number suffering malnutrition. Tubercular adnitis is very prevalent here in North. We see tuberculosis in evry [sic] form. When I come to America next time I would like to know more about this disease.
Just now we are busy in getting Christmas gifts ready for our ward patients and refugee home girls. Once a year I entertain my young patients. They come from every part of Tientsin. This is a happy day for children the Christmas day.
I close this letter with much love to you. Time does not allow me to write you oftener. I know that we do think of each other in our work. We are both working toward a common good, this is to serve humanity.
Yours lovingly,
M. I. Ting.December 22, 1924.