Schmitz, Bartley F.

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The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 36 | Number 2 Article 13May 1969Letter from TaiwanBartley F. SchmitzFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqRecommended CitationSchmitz, Bartley F. (1969) "Letter from Taiwan," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 36 : No. 2 , Article 13.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol36/iss2/13Letter From New Zealand . . . The past year has been marked by a spectacular recovery in the economic situation, assisted partly by devaluation to parity with Sterling and partly by the rise in the price of wool. Exports have increased by SO% in one year, the Stock Exchange index has risen by 60%, and the foreign trade balance has changed from a deficit to a remarkable credit. ln spite of heavy taxation an air of prosperity pervades society. Yester-day, on Anniversary Day, 1100 yachts were racing on Auckland Harbour, ranging from 60 ft. keelers to 7 ft. one-boy types, not forgetting the writer's· l7 ft. trailer-sailer. Just after the publication of the encyclical Humanae Vitae a general meeting of Catholic doctors was held at the geothermal resort, Wairakei, with an attendance of about I 00 doctors, nurses, nuns, priests and bishops. The guest speaker was Dr. J.J . Billings of Melbourne, author of "The Ovulation Method" . Billings claims that if ovula-tion is timed precisely by the basal body temperature combined with observa-tion of ovulation mucus and/or pain, and if intercourse is limited to post-ovulatory days, the failure rate of this physiological method of family limita-tion can be reduced to 1 per 1 00 woman-years, which equals the efficacy of the pill. The discussions on problems of family life were lively and encourag-ing, but, as in so many countries round the world, there was a vigorous minor-ity who were unwilling to accept the Pope's authority or his conclusions. This is the price to be paid for liberty. 146 For his own pa. t , this w the encyclical like a light sh darkness, dispersing doubts tainties, and recalling de patients to God's plan in ma reproduction. In November your coP attended the 4th Asian C Obstetrics and Gynaecolog, pore , with a detour to Man Hong Kong, and Bangkok. t was graciously entertaine Catholic Medical Associati<' a discussion on family limt country where CathoHcs n than 1% of the populatic struck by the quality of t and by their fraternal si Catholic colleagues in othet In Singapore he presented the Congress on the rhyth1 papers read at the meetin~ on birth control, and only l rhythm . On the official ll' contraception and abortior come matters of govemme1 his paper was obviously unp· on the personal level it was et to find so many to whom t appeals, whatever theit background . 'P )ndent <' ess of Singa-f okyo, pan be JY tht .nd had wasoa • where ave be-policy, .Uar, but Jura gin& method ethniC In the New Zealand Medic l Joumal (1968), 68, 253-258, he pul Ushed ~n article on "Therapeutic Al )rtion Jll New Zealand". This pres< ·1ted tht purely medical case against \bortion. supported by 60 references fr· xn recent literature. It was not received with 3111 enthusiasm by senior memb..rs of~ profession, but the younger speciaJislS a much more he .. tthy am• con-outlook on th s modern man-of disordered se '<uality same material he adapt J in an Austr 1lian C. thoh Society pamphlet (No. 1534 "What's Wrong With Abor This has proved unexpectedl) with large sales in Australll. Zealand. In each -.ountry it From Taiwan . . sending a short report about the opening of Tien Medical Center brief resume of the flrst six of its operating, beginning with the 19th, 1968. I also have some historical notes on the IIVl'u•c;Jtn of this hospital and at the plan for the future. are particularly interested in an to the members of the Catholic Guilds for medical person-would be willing to give us months or years of their service, in the fields of pediatrics pathology. Secondly, we are in need of financial help due to a debt of nearly $200,000 U.S. which still remains to be paid building and equipment. -,--·-~ prevention centers such as described briefly in the letter Korea, Page 284 , in your 1967 issue . you for your kindness. Sincerely yours, Rev. Bartley F. Schmitz, SVD Administrator '1969 is being used as the basis for approaches to members of parliament, to prevent abortion legislation from getting onto the statute books. In simplified terms the policy behind the approach to indi-vidual parliamentarians is that well-tried American motto " Give ' em hell!" H.P. Dunn, FRCS, FRCOG, FRACS 122 Remuera Rd., Auckland, New Zealand REPORT PLANNING: Was begun in 1960 at the in-sistence ofThomas Cardinal Tien, and carried out by his secretary, Fr. Bartley F. Schmitz, SVD, and Sr. M. Rigoberta, SDS, who directed the work of three Chinese and , two German architects. FINANGNG: German foreign aid, chan-neUed through ZENTRALSTELLE FUR ENTWICKLUNGSHILFE and MISEREOR, organizations of the Catholic Bishops of Germany, accounted for * of the original budget (2/3 of the final cost.) The rest came from private somces in Taiwan, Europe and the Americas. Total cost about N.T. $56,000,000! (N.T. 40 = 1 U.S. S) PURPOSE: To provide medical care at low cost for the lower classes and the poor. We do not have facilities to care for TB, tenni-nal cases and of course, contagjous diseases. In short, a general hospital for the poor, specializing in Pediatrics. STATISTICS: Doctors in residence - 7, Attending doctors - 25, Consultants - 50, Nurses - 29, Aides - 12, Office and other workers - 66, Technicians - 7, Sisters - 12, Priests - 2, Total: 206. Beds: 167, divided equally into three classes. Departments: Surgical, Medical, Maternity, Outpatient Pediatrics and Emergency. Out-patient: ENT, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Orthopedics, 08-Gyn and Dentistry. Ser-vices: Laboratory, X-ray, Physiotherapy. HISTORY: Ground breaking March 14, 1965 . Construction began Dec. 1965, com-pleted early 1967. Cornerstone laying June 9, 1966. Opening for service to patients March 19, 1968. In the past six months, (to the end of September) there were 472 inpatients, 7,367 outpatients, 114 operations (no in-fections), 66 births and 18 deaths. 147 ' ·~ , . ' :. .;, , . • '-l ~ ~, • I. tol ' :, ·"" ..... '· ; . ..... •. ' ' . ~ .. ·. · - .' 0 • -f • : ... . . ,t• 

Letter from Taiwan

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Letter from Taiwan

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