Tainan Sin-Lau Hospital, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan

The first modern hospital in Taiwan, commonly called the “Sin-lâu Hospital”, was established by Dr. James Laidlaw Maxwell, of the English Presbyterian Church in1865.Very soon after Maxwell began practicing medicine in Tainan, the number of his patients grew rapidly. This was due to his superior skills and professional knowledge. In 1901, James Maxwell’s younger son, Dr. James Maxwell, Jr. came to Taiwan with his nurse wife and succeeded to the hospital directorship. He and his wife emphasized the nurturing and training of local medical facilities and treatments at the hospital, such as adding steam sterilization and X-ray, and the treatment of opium addiction, venereal disease and leprosy. The hospital was now a fully equipped hospital. Sin-lâu Hospital looks to become the most important community hospital in the Southern Taiwan region, and by doing so to fulfill the medical-evangelistic aim to be close to where there are people in need of medical service while protecting their health of its community. By these efforts, Sin-lâu Hospital will continue to serve as the guardian of community health and fulfill its mission in the spirit of our founder, Dr. James L. Maxwell.