OPHTHALMIC SURGEON IN HONG KONG (1891-1892)

-Rizal left Europe for Hong Kong, where he lived from November, 1891 to June, 1892. His reasons for leaving Europe were (1) life was unbearable in Europe because of his political differences with M.H. del Pilar and other Filipinos in Spain (2) to be near his idolized Philippines and family
· October 3, 1891-two weeks after the publication of Fili, Rizal left Ghent for Paris, where he stayed a few days to say goodbye to the Lunas, the Pardo de Taveras, the Venturas and other friends; Rizal
proceeded by train to Marseilles
· October 18, 1891- Rizal boarded the steamer Melbourne bound for Hong Kong
· Father Fuchs- a Tyrolese, Rizal enjoyed playing chess. Rizal describe him to Blumentritt as “He is a fine fellow, A Father Damaso without pride and malice”
· November 20, 1891-Rizal arrived in Hong Kong
· Rizal established his residence at No. 5 D’ Aguilar Street No. 2 Rednaxola Terrace, where he also
opened his medical clinic
· December 1, 1891- Rizal wrote his parents asking their permission to return home.
-On the same date, his brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo, sent him a letter relating the sad news of the
“deportation of twenty-five persons from Calamba, including father, Neneng, Sisa, Lucia, Paciano and the rest of us.”
· The Christmas of 1891 in Hong Kong was one of the happiest Yuletide celebrations in Rizal’s life: For he had a happy family reunion
· January 31, 1892- Rizal wrote to Blumentritt, recounting pleasant life in Hong Kong
· To earn a living for himself and for his family, Rizal practiced medicine
· Dr. Lorenzo P. Marques- a Portuguese physician, who became Rizal’s friend and admirer, who helped him to build up a wide clientele. In recognition of Rizal’s skill as an ophthalmic surgeon, he turned over to him many of his eye cases
· Rizal successfully operated on his mother’s left eye so that she was able to read and write again.