ABSTRACT
Two years in Philadelphia (1883-1884) had broadened Fielde’s horizons. She returned to China with up-to-date knowledge of obstetrics, basic training in biological research, and a view of the origins and workings of the world that was frequently in conflict with a dogma she had not previously questioned with any seriousness. Her new knowledge of modern obstetrical practice was inserted into the curriculum of the Bible-women school. Since midwifery in China was in such a primitive state, proper information about hygiene and the delivery process, imparted by Chinese women to their Chinese sisters, could only result in the sparing of pain and the saving of lives – a boon for the disabused women in a harsh land.
