Lepers at a leper village near Yeungkong 陽江.

Photographer

Dobson, William Hervie, 1870-1965

Date

• ca. 1897-ca. 1940

Summary

• William Hervie Dobson's report, published in the China Medical Journal in 1930, documented that at Yeungkong 陽江 those afflicted with this disease congrated at "Wang Mu" (The Emperor's Mother's Village) 王母, as indicated by the first two characters of the imcomplete couplet on the right wall in the photo. The first two characters on the left wall are "ma gu" (leper woman) 蔴姑 which refers to the Emperor's Mother who was also a leper. This lepers village is merely a collection of small mud brick hovels and is situated about a mile from the east gate of the city on sandy, bare soil. These lepers were so poor that they were compelled to beg. Doctor Dobson gave them $5.00 USD to help them and their smiles show their appreciation. Doctor Dobson met lepers every day and had no fear of them nor their disease.