PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: PUPILS AT SCHOOL FOR DEAF MUTE CHILDREN TREATED BY ACUPUNCTURE

Record ID: 636656

  • Title: PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: PUPILS AT SCHOOL FOR DEAF MUTE CHILDREN TREATED BY ACUPUNCTURE
  • Date: 18th October 1971
  • Summary: SLATE INFORMATION CHINA: LV Pupils exercising in school grounds CV Instructor GV & SV Instructor & pupils continue MV Teacher at blackboard (2 shots) MV Children recite quotations from Mao LV Army doctors arrive & administer acupuncture needles to pupils ears (8 shots) SV Teacher continues in classroom (first vowels) (10 shots) MV Teacher with more advanced work (3 shots) SV Pupils listen & recite LV Teacher & pupils Initials SGM/1332 SGM/1324 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 2nd November 1971 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Peking, People's Republic of China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Health,Education
  • Reuters ID: LVA1L09LUQJSBU872462QZXWEC4A
  • Story Text: During a visit to the People's Republic of China in October, Visnews correspondent Russell Spurr was shown through a Peking school for deaf mute children. At the school army doctors have been successfully treating the pupils by acupuncture....the deep insertion of gold needles. When the children enter the school emphasis is on physical training, and basic lessons. After acupuncture they progress to an intermediate class where the first vowels are taught. Later, in an advanced class....usually after at least two years treatment, the children regain their speech. The doctors have not claimed full cures, and much experimental work is still being undertaken, but of 238 students treated.....all but 13 recovered their hearing to varying degrees. Sixty students can now speak quite well, 120 are capable of simple speech, and other are still learning.
    SYNOPSIS: A school for deaf mute children in Peking.
    Here the initial emphasis is on physical education. To all outward appearances the school looks much the same as any other, but the pupils' chances of recovering their hearing and speech are very much better than most in the same position. Basic lessons are also taught using sign language, and later the children began to recite from the works of Chairman Mao Tse Tung.
    At the school army doctors have been treating the deaf mute pupils by acupuncture. This involves the deep penetration of gold needles into the back of the head and neck, to stimulate and revive nerves controlling the ear drums. This treatment is given every day for ten days. There follows ten days rest. The course of treatment was not attempted until three years age.
    After acupuncture the children progress to an intermediate class where the first vowel sounds are taught.(PAUSE 10 SECS) The school was established in 1958, at which time the joint afflictions of the deaf and mute were considered incurable. Doctors began specific acupuncture experiments on each other during the Cultural Revolution.
    The school also has advanced classes where full speech is regained.
    Of 238 students treated, so far all but 13 have improved hearing, and 180 are capable of speech. The doctors don't claim full cures, and are continuing research into the treatment.
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