对“疯癫”的认知与嘉约翰创办广州疯人医院

The Cognition of "Insanity" and the John G. Kerr Hospital for the Insane in Canton

1872年美国传教医生嘉约翰首次提出开办疯人医院的建议。相比于国人对西式医院的快速接纳,中国传统观念对"疯癫"的认知限制了中国社会对疯人院的支持;美国传教集团出于自身利益的考虑一再拒绝和阻挠"疯人医院"项目,引发不可避免的"行医"与"传教"矛盾。通过对疯人医院创建过程考察,探讨"疯人病"这一新的观念和疯人医院系统进入中国社会时所产生的独特文化现象。

In 1872, an American missionary doctor John G. Kerr initially proposed instituting a hospittal for the insane, Comapred with countrymen＇ s quick acceptance of Western hospitals, Chinese social elites ＇ support of the hospital for the insane was somewhat restricted due to the traditional Chinese concept of ＂ insanity＂. And more unexpectedly, the repeated refusal of and obstruction to the ＂insane hospital＂ project by the American medical missionary society on account of their self- interest has led to the inevitable contradiction between ＂medicine practice＂ and ＂the missionary work＂. Through an inspection of the process of the hospital for the insane, a probe is made into the unqiue cultural phenomenon stemming from the new concept of ＂insanes＂ and the entry of the insane hospital system into the Chinese society.