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MY DAYS OF STRENGTH: An American Woman Doctor's 40 Years In China by  Kirkus Star

MY DAYS OF STRENGTH: An American Woman Doctor's 40 Years In China

By

Pub Date: April 13th, 1939
Publisher: Harper

Yes, another doctor's story, but not to be sold on that basis. For it is primarily a human document, a story of a different sort of pioneering, a book for The House of Exile market -- and a woman doctor's story. Grand reading, and an interesting picture of China a generation ago. Dr. Fearn grew up in a conservative family. The decision to study medicine was a surprise to everyone (including herself) and came as an antidote to sheer boredom, and a successful one. China was equally a surprise move -- she went on a short term proposition, to help out a fellow doctor -- and she stayed forty years. For a time, she worked under the auspices of a missionary society; later she had her own hospital and built for herself a unique place in China. The medical aspects of her story, while interesting, seem to me secondary to the story of a human dynamo, a woman with the ability to see her patients, of whatever race, as people, not specimens, and who had the courage to undertake anything that seemed needed at the moment -- and to bring it off. No attempt to trace developments in medical practice or research. Special interest for Philadelphia market, since Dr. Fearn was brought up there.