[Early missionary medicine in Taiwan]

Taiwan, as mainland China, first received modern medicine from Christian missionaries. Although Western medicine was introduced by the Dutch in the 17th century, it disappeared after their expulsion by Zheng Chenggong. It was not until 1865 when the British Presbyterian Church sent Dr. James Laidlow Maxwell to Taiwan to engage in medical and missionary work that Western medicine was able to take root in Taiwan. The last three decades of the 19th century were a key period in the development of modern medicine in Taiwan. This paper discusses three major figures in early missionary medicine in Taiwan, Dr. James Laidlow Maxwell, Rev. George Leslie Mackay, and Dr. David Landsborough and their contributions to the development of modern medicine in Taiwan.