West Philadelphia Hospital for Women
4035 Parrish St West Phil. Pa.My dear Miss Turner:-
If I put all my thoughts in writing you would be busy reading my letters. Writing is a luxury to me now. During my month of vacation, I had so many things to attend. Consequently I did not write to my friends. Now I want you to read this enclosed letter of my friend's - Dr. Li-yuin Tsao. [no longer with this letter] I come to see your advice. I feel sure that she would not mind if I let you read this letter. It says confidential. That means she does not want me to tell Dr. McLean about her condition.
First let me tell you my present situation. Just now I am a part time interne at this hospital. Besides my work here I assist Dr. Case Blechschmidt. She is a wonderful surgeon - very promising and young. I am also taking a six weeks course in ears nose & throat. My service ends here January 1st 1922. I am accepted at Willard Parker Hospital, New York City. This is a contagious disease service of six months. The hospital has 750 beds. It gives a most wonderful service in contagious disease. The latter is very important in China.
Let me also tell you my personal feeling about this matter. Dr. Li-yuin Tsao is just as dear to me as my sister. She has given me much inspiration and moral encouragement during my school days in China & America. China has a very few trained women. It would be a great loss to my country if anything should happen to her. Her brother - a most brilliant man died of Brights' disease - 1914. He was a most useful man to our government. My moral impulse is to go home and relieve her. My other thought is this - should I allow my golden opportunity to go? My father always said to me "Never allow an opportunity go if such opportunity offers educational value." I certainly would be a better trained physician with six more months additional training. My original plan was to sail for China July 1922.
Now I really do not know what to do. Kindly help me to crystallize my thoughts to the best end. I want to do that which is most unselfish. I will make my final decision after I hear your opinions. Kindly tell me what you would do if you were in my place.
Just now I am taking an active part to speak for my country. We students cannot do much - but we are going to let the world hear our voices - (the voice of Chinese youth)
With much love.
Yours lovingly.
Me-iung Ting.November 17. 1921.