Traveling doctor runs to the rescue — twice

Zhang Quande, a doctor at People's Hosiptal in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, saved two emergency patients during train trips in late July.

The doctor of traditional Chinese medicine saved his first patient at Zhengzhou East Railway Station in Henan province on July 22 when he was stranded at the station due to torrential rains. That afternoon, he heard an announcement in the waiting hall calling for doctor's help. He immediately ran in the direction of the sound and found a boy about 6 years old lying on the ground unconscious and convulsing with his teeth clenched.

Zhang believed the boy had epilepsy and turned the boy's head sideways. He quickly wrapped a spoon with cloth tape and placed it between the boy's teeth to prevent injury to his tongue.

Then the doctor used a blood lancet to prick acupuncture points while performing massage to help the boy breathe. After a few minutes, the boy came to his senses and was transferred to a nearby hospital.

Zhang took a train back to Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region that night. The next morning, he heard a call for aid again, and he rushed to first compartment and found a woman who was dizzy, nauseous and trembling intermittently. 

He believed she had hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and anxiety. He pressed her acupuncture points to relieve symptoms after she ate some sugary food.

"Doctors should save patients in emergencies," Zhang said. "I have also felt the strength and warmth of emergency rescue through personal experience."

Feng Xiaojie contributed to this story.