The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang

This movie is about the massacre in Nanking, China by the invading Japanese forces in 1937.  It is also a tribute to Iris Chang who wrote the book "The Rape of Nanking" published in English in 1997. The movie is based on her book.  Iris committed suicide in November 2004 because of depression which was possibly linked to the many horror stories which she had uncovered during her many interviews with the survivors and from the diaries of the deceased.   

I watched this movie to find out why grandpa, Leong Sin Nam, was so engrossed in raising funds for the mainland Chinese.  The letters addressed to him from China must have described the utter hopelessness of the Chinese people then.  The Japanese had already conquered Manchuria and Shanghai before Nanking.  Nanking was the capital city of the Nationalist Government of Chiang Kai Shek. 

You may wish to read more about Iris Chang in Wikipedia.  I admire her courage in bringing out the true story about Nanking which many still have relative amnesia, especially the Japanese. 

Choosing the Ideal Inhaled Corticosteroid

 

Inhaled corticosteroid is much better suited for asthmatics and COPD patients when compared to oral steroid.  There are now many ICS preparations in the market.  The choice can be difficult.   The table below shows some of the factors which need to be considered when choosing the ideal corticosteroid.

Ipoh Lahat Road YMCA

This picture shows the original Lahat Road YMCA building.   It also shows members helping children in the early 1960s.  The Lahat Road YMCA will soon be operating at its new premise opposite the Perak Stadium.  Programmes will be announced shortly when the building is ready for occupation.

Student Exploratory Workshops

A very interesting advertisement for anyone aspiring to become a doctor.  I wonder how the response was. 

Tong Wah Cave, Ipoh

A couple of days ago a patient told me about the contributions of Leong Sin Nam on the development of the Tong Wah Cave in Ipoh.  This is something new to me and a search on the web showed the following results:

"The Tong Wah Cave Temple was founded about 140 years ago by some monks and later financed by philanthropists of the Kinta Valley, which was once well known as the number one producer of tin in the world.  Among the generous individuals who help set up the committee of the temple include Leong Sin Nam, who is an ex-tin miner.

Located about 2 km from the Lost World of Tambun, Ipoh, this cave is visible from the Tambun road after passing the Lost of Tambun and the Banjaran Hotspring. Almost every week, the temple receives a few hundred visitors and worshipers from all over Malaysia as well as from other countries. The temple is also an attraction to many tourist now. No entrance is charged but visitors can make any contribution towards the maintenance and development of the cave."

MACE 2013 Programme for Doctors

Whiteaways Ipoh

 

Scanned photo of an original receipt from Whiteaways Ipoh dated 1969.  Chance find in one of my toy boxes.  As I can remember, Whiteaways was very much a novelty shop with lots of imported goods.  It was located in the colonial building besides Miners Arm in Jalan Maharajalela.   The building is currently unoccupied.  They were selling very expensive Toddler Towels then at $3.00!  The receipt was rather elaborate with lots of advertising behind and caring messages for the customers.  

Whiteaway, Laidlaw & Co., often referred to simply as Whiteaways, was indeed a prominent department store chain in the early 20th century. Founded in Calcutta in 1882 by Scotsmen E. Whiteaway and Robert Laidlaw, the store quickly became known as the “Selfridges of the East” due to its high-end European products. It catered to Europeans and affluent locals in over 20 cities across India, the Federated Malay States (FMS), and the Straits Settlements, including Singapore, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and others.

The store’s expansion reached even further, establishing branches in Canada, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Argentina, and Kenya. In places like Ipoh, Whiteaways was the leading local emporium, offering a range of products that appealed to the European expatriates, the wealthy Towkays, and the Baba Nonya community. Their offerings included fashionable clothing, furnishings, sports accessories, and a variety of goods suitable for the tropical climate.

Whiteaways’ history is a testament to the global reach and influence of department stores during that era, serving as a bridge between Eastern and Western commerce and culture. The legacy of such stores reflects the changing dynamics of trade, fashion, and consumerism during the height of the colonial period.

Reference:

1. Biblioasia.

2. The Whiteaways Arcade