寬仁醫院中國西南地區最早的現代西醫院

楊艷

據《重慶市衛生志》記載，寬仁醫院始建于1892年，是重慶醫科大學附屬第二醫院的前身。1891年的秋天，美國基督教美以美會的醫生馬嘉里（Dr.Games.H.Mecaitney）從宜昌坐船來到重慶籌辦醫院。1892年10月，一座西式綜合醫院在重慶城區戴家巷落成，醫院命名為Chungking General Hosipital，對外稱中文名：寬仁醫院。“寬仁”二字語出《尚書》：“克寬克仁，彰信兆民”，意為寬宏仁愛，彰明誠信。這是中國西南地區最早的現代西醫院。

當時醫院大門為圓拱形，兩旁為八字型照壁，院中4幢中西合璧式青磚樓房。主樓4層，臨江兩幢帶有長廊。設有普通病房一間，私人病房兩間，病床約30余張。

據了解，首任院長馬嘉里是一個具有超強意志力的人，他一邊用教會資助的錢積極籌辦醫院，一邊開展醫療工作，并將所得收入全部用于改善醫療條件。馬嘉里精力旺盛，也很有責任心，還跟重慶老百姓學說中國話。

寬仁醫院落成當天，馬嘉里向當地川東道、重慶府和巴縣三級衙門主官發出邀請函，但由于當時重慶民風守舊，沒有人敢來參加典禮。雖然一開始就遭遇冷落，但沒有澆滅馬嘉里及醫院同仁的行醫熱忱，他們用高超的醫術、真誠的態度救助病人，逐漸在重慶打開了現代醫療的新局面。1902年，中國西南地區首例母子平安的剖宮產手術在寬仁醫院完成。不少名人也曾與寬仁醫院結下不解之緣：劉伯承曾在寬仁醫院做過眼部手術;宋美齡曾向寬仁醫院捐贈流動救護車;巴金的女兒、沈鈞儒的孫子在寬仁醫院出生，冰心和家人也曾長住寬仁醫院……

抗日戰爭時期，城內遭遇大轟炸，寬仁醫院暫時遷到沙坪壩歌樂山，為保護中國人民的生命和健康作出巨大貢獻。時任國民政府主席林森曾為醫院題寫院名。

圖片/重慶醫科大學附屬第二醫院提供

According to Chongqing Medical Chronicles， Chungking General Hosipital， the predecessor of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University， was founded in 1892. In the fall of 1891， Dr. Games. H. Mecaitney， doctor of the Methodist Episcopal Church， came from Yichang by boat， pooling resources to build a hospital in Chongqing. In October 1892， a western general hospital named Chungking General Hospital was inaugurated in Daijia Alley， Yuzhong District. The hospital was known as Kuan Ren Hospital in Chinese. The word "Kuan Ren" comes from the line “stay benevolent to the people for the trust and faith they grant” in the Book of Documents （Shangshu）， one of the five classics of ancient Chinese literature. It is the earliest modern general hospital in southwest China.

By then the hospital had an arched entrance with two splayed spirit screens on each side. Inside the courtyard stood four black brick houses with 4 storeys featuring both Chinese and Western style. Two of the houses overlooking the river had long corridors. Altogether there were one general ward and two private wards， with a total of 30 beds.

Dr. Games. H. Mecaitney， the inaugural president of the hospital was reportedly a person with strong will. He pooled funds from the church to build the hospital while practicing medicine， and invested all his income in improving medical facilities and health care conditions in Chongqing. He was energetic and responsible. He was even learning Chinese from Chongqing people.

Upon completion of Chungking General Hosipital， Dr. Games. H. Mecaitney sent invitations to the heads of the local governments at three levels， respectively Ba County （Ba Xian）， Chongqing Prefecture （Chongqing Fu） and Eastern Sichuan Circuit （Chuan Dong Dao）. However， no one dared to attend the inaugural ceremony because of the conservative norms in Chongqing at the time. The short shrift given at the beginning did not falter the passion and resolution of Dr. Games. H. Mecaitney and his fellow colleagues for medical practice. They treated patients with superb medical skills and sincerity， writing a new chapter of modern medicine in Chongqing.

In 1939， during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Agression， Chungking General Hospital was moved to Shapingba of Gele Mountain， making tremendous contribution to safeguarding the lives and health of the Chinese people. Lin Sen， the then chairman of the National Government of the Republic of China， inscribed the name of the hospital. In 1902， the first cesarean section in southwest China was performed in the hospital where both the mother and baby went through the surgery safely.

Chungking General Hosipital also had special bonds with many celebrities. Marshal Liu Bocheng had his eye surgery there and Madame Soong Mei-ling once donated a mobile ambulance to the hospital. Ba Jin's daughter and Shen Junru's grandson were born there. Bing Xin and her family once lived in the hospital for a long time.

Photo / The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University

Editor/Yang Yan