[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.]November 8th, 1931.
Dear Miss Turner;
Days have been full for both of us. That is one reason why we have not heard from each other for long time. One can hardly realize that a year has passed since we last saw each other at Copenhagen. What a delightful memory to think that I did have a chance to see you in your work and in your different surrounding. All people who are connected with Dr. Krogh's laboratory are gracious. Now you are back to your regular work. I learned from College News that the college was late in her opening on account of Infantile Paralysis.. [sic] By this time ofcourse [sic] everything is in full swing. We have learned with much regret that Miss Wooley [sic] is not coming to China. China is now in a most restless period on account of national distress and Japanese invation. [sic] Probably this is not the best time anyway for Miss Wooley [sic] to visit China althoeugh [sic] her students in every part of China would welcome her under any circumstance.
I have been back to my work more than nine months. Work keeps us all busy at hospital. My coworker Dr. Chu has gone to Shanghai to practice. My other coworker Dr. Li is at West Philadelphia Hospital for Women for one year. Thus I have been alone at hospital for these months. For morning clinics we do have different doctors from outside but I have been answering all night calls at hospital since February. Now we have gotten a young graduate from Shanghai Medical College but she is very delicate in her health and is doing half day work. We have too few trained women in China. The demands for women physicians are too great. We are almost asked to do all branches of medicine. The medical course is a long hard one and many students prefer some other lines. We have many students who are taking science. Very few men students would take medical course. At the recent Medical Prevention Work at Hankow every senior student at Peiping Union Medical College was called by our government. Every hospital was asked to send as many nurses as possible to Hankow. Our hospital sent three graduate nurses. There is work but there are too few workers.. [sic] After this trip in Europe I feel that we must produce more trained people.
My children Mary Jean and Abby have been well. They are growing. Both are in kindergarten this year. Mary Jean has little school work in afternoon and Abby sleeps every day after noon llunch. Abby is quite strong this year. She was very sick when I came home last January. Abby keeps every body in house busy for she gets into everything now.. [sic] I have taken them away from hospital for puclic [sic] institution is a bad place for children. They have been stimulated too much by our nurses. Now they play by themselves and do not have to do any stunt for different nurses. Ofcourse [sic] they are playful at times and how grownups do like to ask them to sing and to say pieces.. [sic] Children must be left alone and allow to grow naturally. Their little cheeks are red and their little legs are strong. They used to be pale and weak. These children give me great pleasure and great concern. My only desire is that they should grow up to be useful women someday. I have certainly learned much about Pediatrics thru these two children. They have taught me much thru their innocent questions.. [sic] Hospital and children keep me occupied all the time.
My niece at Bryn Mawr College ahs [sic] selected English, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics for her first year[.]
November 11th, 1931.
From the difference of my date you would know that I have been interrupted. While I was writing to you on night of 8th I was suddenly interrupted by a nurse who came running in saying something was happening on street. Before she could finished [sic] her sentence I heard the firing every corner of and around our hospital. I fisrt [sic] went to the hospital side and told the night staff to be on their guard. We could not get out to learn anything of the news and no one could come in to give us any news. All we knew that something was wrong and all we heard was firing especially toward our direction. The above happened at eight in the evening. I told our patients and students to go to bed as usual but everyone must be dressed in such a way that each could get up qucikly [sic] and ready for escape if necessary. Fortunately we have not one very seriously ill patient at hospital this time.
I sat queitly [sic] in my room. About eleven I heard voice for help outside of our hospital. I opened the big gate and in came several wounded policemen. From them we learned that Japanese soldiers have instigated this trouble and sent our two thousand plan clothes men with pistols. Thes men were firing at every policeman on street. Fortunately every policeman was armed. Firing continued all night and wounded came one by one at different intervals. About three o'clock in morning there were twent five policemen in our waiting room. Those who were badly wounded we provided matress [sic] on floor, others we sent them away with first aid dressing. One died for he recieved two shots thru abdomen and he lost too much blood on way. Everything was so sudden that on [sic] one was prepared.
Japanese military instigated this in order to cause further trouble with China. November 16th is the date for Japan to remove her soldiers from Manchuria but she wants to cause further trouble as to give her excuse for sending soldiers into China. All these days we have been so patient and tried so hard to trust the League of Nations for Justice. Among people arrested there were ten Japanese plain clothes men. The Japanese Government can not claim that she is ignorant of all this and lay blame upon China. Our spirits are deptessed [sic] and our hearts are breaking. Students everywhere are so restless and they want to be volunteers. Women and men students have started drills. Force cannot win. Moral regeneration is the only salvation toward the solution.
Japan feels glorious becuase [sic] of her military expansion[.] On the other hand China must make advance in science. Thru it China will become a powerful nation. China today is not producing enough food and clothing material for her people to say nothing of other commodities of life. Furdamental [sic] questions must be solved before China would have time for other problems. China's large population is a curse to China. Thinking poeple [sic] are fomulating [sic] plans for solving this probelm. [sic]
This is Wednesday. For two nights and two days we have lived under firing zones. Our hospital is next to police station. The location is good becuase [sic] we do get some protection. The location is also bad for this is the place where Japanes[e] are aiming at. Just now we have twenty some patients at hospital. We have enough food, coal to last us two weeks. But we are out of fresh vegetables already. No traffic is allowed so we have no way in bring food. City is not prepared. We are waiting for force form [sic] Peiping. These are hectic days for us.. [sic] We must continue to be cheerful in spirit and courage ous [sic] in action.
With much love.
Yours lovingly,
Me-iung.Peiyang Women's Hospital, Tientsin.