所謂名不正，則言不順。追溯發展源流，應當從正名入手。
香港中華醫學會有限公司（下稱「香港中華醫學會」或「本會」）創立於1995年9月，創會會長為已故曹世植醫生。作為世界級消化內鏡專家，曹醫生對拓展香港、中國內地內鏡技術尤其建樹良多，為扶植消化內鏡醫護人員，舉辦創新、高質的培訓課程、講座，誨人不倦，培育英才，俾成業界翹楚【註1】。曹醫生畢生奉獻醫療行業，竭誠發揚本會宗旨，多年來與醫學界同仁戮力合作，並為香港特區政府提供專業意見，積極參與各類促進公共衞生的活動，對推動全民健康不遺餘力。
至於歷史悠久的中華醫學會，更早於1915年在上海創立；歲月嬗遞，一個多世紀以來印證了會務的長足發展。
曹醫生曾於2009年撰文《香港中華醫學會》【註2】，指出中華醫學會香港分會（下稱「香港分會」）創辦於1921年；香港醫學會（下稱「醫學會」）則刊載香港分會成立於1929年【註3】。基於資料檔案散佚不全，難以核實這段百年舊事，然而香港分會成立於1920年代，則應可斷言。
醫學會記錄亦稱，香港分會和醫學會前身於1932年「合併」。在未有文獻顯示相反證據的大前提之下，據本會理解，該兩會雖彼此合作，雙方理事會成員相同，但兩會會務則各自處理。根據中華醫學會檔案，1934至1935年，醫學會前身的會長（潘錫華醫生）及各理事會成員（包括李樹芬醫生）均分別正式列為香港分會的會長及理事會成員【註4】。
1970年，醫學會前身易名為香港醫學會，此名稱一直沿用至今。與此同時，香港分會的有心人有感於該會與中華醫學會一脈相承，實應與中國內地保持正式聯繫。適逢香港快將回歸祖國懷抱，本會乃於1995年創立，以活化香港分會與中華體系一脈相連的精神。
中華醫學會源遠流長 人才濟濟
1915年2月，顏福慶醫生與伍連德醫生等人在上海創辦中華醫學會；同年11月出版中英文合刊的《中華醫學雜誌》創刊號，是中國創刊最早的中文醫學期刊。顏醫生在成立大會上獲推選為會長，伍醫生則於1916及1917年的會員代表大會上，當選為首屆和第二屆會長【註5】。
1909年畢業於美國耶魯大學醫學院的顏醫生，是中國湖南湘雅醫學專門學校（即今日中南大學湘雅醫學院）創辦人之一暨首任校長，亦先後創辦著名的上海醫學院（即今日復旦大學上海醫學院）和上海中山醫院。早於1920年代，已公開發表國民政府應設中央衞生部的建議。
2021年3月10日，「Google塗鴉」為紀念伍連德醫生142 歲冥壽【註6】，於當日詳盡介紹了伍醫生的生平，緬懷這位杏林偉人。伍醫生生於馬來西亞一個華僑家庭，除了身為首位獲英國劍橋大學頒授醫學博士學位的華人之外，也是中國首位諾貝爾獎候選人。1908年被清廷任命為天津陸軍軍醫學堂副監督；1910年，受政府委派前往東北調研一場流行病，經他確認為具高度傳染性的肺鼠疫，可通過飛沫在人與人之間傳播。
作為抗疫總指揮，伍醫生以嚴謹的科學基礎為經，周全的抗疫策略為緯，與政府官員合作設立檢疫站和醫院，實行隔離措施，限制居民出行，以及採用漸進式消毒技術等。此外，由他設計、生產的多層過濾式外科口罩（後人稱為「伍氏口罩」），以棉和紗布製成，對防控鼠疫發揮關鍵性作用。
1911年4月，由他帶領的防疫隊伍，在短短4個月內撲滅這場傳染性強、致命率高的「滿州鼠疫」流行病，拯救了無數寶貴的生命。伍醫生不但在中國現代抗疫方面青史流芳，更享譽國際，於1935年被提名諾貝爾生理學或醫學獎。
正當全球努力應對百年一遇的冠狀病毒病大流行之際，這兩位身兼醫學教育家和醫療領袖的創會先鋒，其遠見和魄力更令人倍受感動和啟發。
Names can be confusing, and it is worthwhile to begin the story by clarifying some names:
The Hong Kong Chinese Medical Association Limited (henceforth referred to as Hong Kong Chinese Medical Association or HKCMA) was established in September 1995. The late Dr. William Chao, Founding President, was a world-class digestive-endoscopy expert with pioneering contributions to his field in Hong Kong and the Mainland. To groom gastrointestinal-endoscopists, he spared no effort as a tireless educator to organize innovative and high-quality training programmes and seminars as a cradle of future leaders in the profession (see Note 1). Dedicated lifelong to the medical profession and to achieving the goals of the HKCMA, Dr. Chao collaborated closely with his peers in the medical sector and served as a professional advisor to the SAR Government. He also actively participated in public-health activities as a staunch advocate of health for all.
The time-honoured National Medical Association of China (henceforth referred to as the Chinese Medical Association, or CMA) was established more than a century ago in 1915 in Shanghai. This passage of time has borne witness to the sustainable development of the CMA.
According to the article The Hong Kong Chinese Medical Association written by Dr. William Chao in 2009 (see Note 2), the Hong Kong Branch of the CMA (henceforth referred to as HKbrCMA) was set up in 1921. However, the Hong Kong Medical Association (HKMA) records stated that the HKbrCMA was inaugurated in 1929 (see Note 3). Given incomplete archive information, such century-old events can no longer be verified. Nonetheless, it is tolerably clear that the HKbrCMA was founded within the 1920s.
The HKMA records above also listed the HKbrCMA and the predecessor of HKMA (henceforth referred to as pHKMA) “amalgamated” in 1932. Without any retrievable documents related to this event to suggest otherwise, we understand that during the period of “amalgamation”, the two associations joined forces but remained as two distinctive entities, while there was a complete overlap in the identity of Council Members. This is reflected in the archives of CMA, where the President of the pHKMA for the year 1934-1935 (Dr Phoon Seck-wah) as well as Council members (including Dr Li Shu-fan) were officially recorded as the President as well as Council members respectively of the HKbrCMA (see Note 4).
In 1970, the pHKMA was renamed as the Hong Kong Medical Association (HKMA), marking the beginning of the current HKMA entity. Meanwhile, the enthusiasts of the earlier HKbrCMA perceived the need to formally preserve the links with Mainland China flowing from the historical link with CMA. With Hong Kong returning to the motherland, our organization was founded in 1995 as a rejuvenation of the HKbrCMA’s spirit of Chinese heritage.
The legacy of the Chinese Medical Association
In February 1915, Dr. Yan Fu-qing and Dr. Wu Lian-de founded the CMA in Shanghai. In November of the same year, the inaugural issue of the Chinese-English bilingual “Chinese Medical Journal” was published and became the earliest western medical periodical published in Chinese. Dr. Yan was elected as the founding President at the inaugural meeting and Dr. Wu was subsequently elected as the first and second President at the 1916 and 1917 Member Congress respectively (see Note 5).
Dr. Yan graduated from Yale University School of Medicine in 1909. He was one of the founders and first President of Xiangya Medical College of Hunan, (currently known as Xiangya School of Medicine of the Central South University). He also founded the well-known Shanghai Medical College (currently known as Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University) and the Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital. As early as the 1920s, Dr. Yan publicly proposed the establishment of a central health ministry under the National Government.
Google Doodle honoured the 142-year-old birthday of the late Dr. Wu Liande on 10 March 2021 by detailing Dr. Wu’s life (see Note 6). Dr. Wu was born in an overseas Chinese family in Malaysia. In addition to being the first Chinese to be awarded a Doctor of Medicine degree by the U.K. Cambridge University, he was also the first Nobel Prize candidate from China. In 1908, he was appointed by the Qing court as deputy supervisor of the Tianjin Army Medical College; in 1910, the government summoned him to investigate an epidemic in Northeast China. His investigation led to the conclusion that the epidemic had arisen from the highly contagious pneumonic plague, which could spread from person to person through droplets.
As the commander-in-chief of the anti-epidemic task force, Dr. Wu launched a comprehensive anti-epidemic strategy based on rigorous scientific knowledge of those times. He cooperated with government officials to set up quarantine stations and hospitals, implement isolation measures, restrict residents’ travel, and adopt vigorous disinfection techniques. In addition, he designed and produced a multi-layer filter surgical mask (later named as “Wu’s Mask”) using cotton and gauze; the Wu’s Mask played a key role in the control of the pneumonic plague.
In April 1911, under the leadership of Dr. Wu, the anti-Epidemic task force took four short months to extinguish the highly contagious and fatal “Manchurian Plague” epidemic, saving countless precious lives. Not only was Dr. Wu renowned in modern China for his contribution against the pneumonic plague epidemic, he also enjoyed international reputation, and in 1935, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
During the current global battle against the once-in-a-century COVID-19 pandemic, the vision and dedication of our founding pioneers Dr. Yan and Dr. Wu, both medical educators and health care leaders, have become acutely heart-warming and inspiring.
中華醫學會的使命與願景
1915年11月，顏福慶會長在《中華醫學雜誌》創刊號發表〈中華醫學會宣言書〉，闡述學會四大宗旨：
- 鞏固醫家交誼
- 尊重醫徳醫權
- 普及醫學衞生
- 聯絡華洋醫界
1950年，中華醫學會從上海遷址往北京，現已成為全國最大、歷史最悠久的非政府醫療組織，會員人數近70萬之多，專科分會共89個（【註7】）。
The mission and vision of the Chinese Medical Association
In November 1915, President Yan Fu-qing published the “National Medical Association of China Declaration” in the inaugural issue of National Medical Journal, expounding the four main objects of the Association:
- To promote good fellowship and union among Chinese practitioners of Western Medicine.
- To preserve the honor and to uphold the interests of the Profession.
- To hasten the spread of medical science in China and to arouse a public sentiment in Public Health and Preventive Medicine among the Chinese.
- To co-operate with the existing medical forces, either foreign or Chinese, in the working out of the above objects.
In 1950, the CMA relocated from Shanghai to Beijing. It has become the country’s largest and oldest non-governmental medical organization, boasting about 700,000 members and 89 specialty societies (see Note 7).