The young man is now undergoing physical therapy at the Air Force General Hospital after prolonged and complex treatment undertaken by Dr. Chou Yu-ming and his team of surgeons.

For Chung, a member of the Taiya aborigine tribe from Hsinchu in northern Taiwan, March 1 1978 was a day he will never forget. While delivering vegetables in Changhua County in central Taiwan he was struck by a truck, and his left leg was broken in several places.

"When I regained consciousness, I was in hospital. A doctor told me my leg would have to be amputated," Chung recalled. "But I protested. My parents died when I was only a child, and I could not earn my living with only one leg," he said.

Helped by his employer, Chung obtained many second opinions and then several operations. One doctor remarked ruefully: "The treatment of your leg is more complicated than the 10 major construction projects." (These projects have been undertaken by the government to turn the Republic of China into a modern state).

Assisted by public donations and the Changhua County government, Chung was eventually able to enter the Air Force General Hospital, and started treatment under Dr. Chou, director of orthopedics, on Oct. 16, 1979. Dr. Chou personally performed five operations on Chung's afflicted leg.

Recalling his first impressions of Chung, Dr. Chou said: "His skin was dark and he looked undernourished. He could speak neither Mandarin nor Amoy dialect clearly. He was very weak and nervous."

Turning to Chung's leg, Dr. Chou said: "Joints were dislocated and misshapen. The thighbone was completely fractured, and the shinbone was broken and infected with osteomyelitis. Malfunctions in the circulatory system had turned the skin black."

Dr. Chou pointed out that in most countries, doctors would have refused to treat Chung for fear of malpractice suits. He had to ask himself several questions. What is the rate of success in this kind of treatment? How long will the treatment last? Should I accept this patient? Can I meet the challenge?

Finally he reasoned: "It will only take me two hours to cut off this man's leg, but the effects will be felt for a lifetime." The doctor's Christian faith enabled him to make his bold decision. "I will use all my concentration and ability to save Chung's leg. But my success will ultimately depend on God." He decided to go ahead even though an international orthopedics specialist attending a conference in Taipei predicted that the chances of success were small after examining Chung's case.

Dr. Chou was frank. He told Chung that if the operation failed at any stage, the leg would immediately have to come off. In addition, Chung would have to endure the pain.

Dr. Chou's first step was to remove a steel pin which had been inserted into Chung's leg when he first arrived at the hospital. The pin hurt the muscles of his upper thigh, and prevented him from sleeping at night. Then the fractured part would have to be connected to the upper thigh, while an artificial joint would be used to connect the shinbone. At the same time, Chung would have to receive electric shocks to stimulate the nervous system and relax rigid muscles.

The most difficult tasks were connecting the upper thigh to the pelvis, overcoming a lack of three centimeters of shinbone, and controlling the osteomyelitis. Dr. Chou used the most advanced ceramic joints imported from Germany to replace Chung's own, which were too weak. To repair the shin, he had to construct a "bridge" by cutting out a portion of bone, reversing it and then using a bone transplant from Chung's pelvis as filler. A special drug was used to control the osteomyelitis.

The series of operations lasted from October last year to April this year. Now Chung is able to walk with the aid of crutches, ride a bicycle and climb ladders. He can move his leg freely as new bone has grown to replace the affected parts. The osteomyelitis has not recurred. Furthermore, Chung is cheerful and chats with other patients in an animated way. Says Dr. Chou: "Chung can lead a normal life again."

The Air Force General Hospital has been conducting diagnosis on a charitable basis for 20 years. Between 1958 and 1974, Dr. Chou was in the United States studying advanced medical techniques. In between treating patients, he keeps himself up-to-date with the latest developments in orthopedics.

Among the papers he has published, perhaps the most outstanding is the one on the use of the pulsation method to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, which he will present at an international orthopedics conference in Chile in November.

Although Chung is deeply grateful to Dr. Chou for bringing about his recovery, the doctor modestly puts down a great deal of the success of the treatment to the warmth of Chung's friends and the hospital staff.

[Picture Caption]

1. Dr. Chao Yu-ming discusses the problem with his patient. 2. Dr. Chao expresses satisfaction with Chung's progress. 3. & 4. X-ray picture shows Chung's shinbone after using Septopal antiphlogistic to control osteomyelitis. Chung's original joint has been replaced by an artificial one.

1. & 2. Chung receives physical therapy every day. This picture shows Dr. Pan Han-ming teaching Chung to walk and ride a bicycle. 3. Lien Kuo-chen, a patient in the hospital, playing the guitar with Chung. 4. Chung moves again with the aid of a crutch.

Dr. Chao expresses satisfaction with Chung's progress.

X-ray picture shows Chung's shinbone after using Septopal antiphlogistic to control osteomyelitis. Chung's original joint has been replaced by an artificial one.

X-ray picture shows Chung's shinbone after using Septopal antiphlogistic to control osteomyelitis. Chung's original joint has been replaced by an artificial one.

Chung receives physical therapy every day. This picture shows Dr. Pan Han-ming teaching Chung to walk and ride a bicycle.

Chung receives physical therapy every day. This picture shows Dr. Pan Han-ming teaching Chung to walk and ride a bicycle.

Lien Kuo-chen, a patient in the hospital, playing the guitar with Chung.

Chung moves again with the aid of a crutch.