Western medicine in a Chinese cultural setting.

Hong Kong's unique medical heritage stems from its development as a city with a predominantly Chinese population and a long history of exposure to the influence of Western cultural and scientific ideas and practices. This heritage is preserved and displayed in the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences, where exhibits of both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine, particularly those aspects with special relevance to Hong Kong, are featured. This paper also describes the significance of the plague outbreak of 1894 in shaping Hong Kong's medical history, and in bringing about the existence of the building which houses the museum, a 100 year-old protected monument originally named the Bacteriological Institute. The museum's role in society, by providing programmes on health and heritage for the public's education and enjoyment, and the need to preserve and identify both tangible and intangible aspects of our cultural heritage is also briefly explored.