Dr. Lunn & Hong Kong's First Autopsies

Updated (partial) on January 1, 2013

Notable Doctors From the First 100 Years
A Biography of

Dr. [ ] Lunn
Pathologist who preformed Hong Kong’s first autopsy

The first autopsy done in Hong Kong was on a woman named Nga Lok Po who died suddenly causing her relatives to suspect she had been poisoned. The inquest was held on August 15, 1842 and Lunn, Hong Kong's first pathologist, identified cause of death as a 'visitation of God'. The second autopsy he performed was related to traumatic injury. On August 10, 1842, 40-years-old house painter of Canton Bazzar, Ho Wai, was engaged in an argument-turned- fracas with Ah Nam, his partner who demanded arrears of wages. They went into a house with no one inside to have the matter settled. Ho came out moment later bleeding copiously from the neck and said before he died that he had been struck by Ah Nam. Lunn identified the neck wound as the cause of death and opined it was done with a knife or chopper. The jury reached a verdict of willful murder. Ah Nam, the murderer, however was no where to be found. The Rev. Lewis Shuck, the editor of the Friend of China, confirmed that this was Hong Kong's first murder case. In his column, he said, “This is the first case of murder on the island. The people are generally so peaceful and non-contentious that there must be some extenuating circumstances.” I am of the opinion that Lunn was a military doctor temporarily stationed in Hong Kong

References:
- Friend of China, August 18, 1842