Dr William Reginald Morse (1874–1939): A pioneer in medical education and medical anthropology in Western China

Abstract

Dr William Reginald Morse, a Canadian physician, anatomist, and physical anthropologist, was a central figure in advancing medical education and anthropological research in Western China during the early twentieth century. As a medical missionary, he co-founded West China Union University, the first modern medical school in the region, where he served as dean and professor of anatomy for many years. Beyond his educational contributions, Morse established the West China Border Research Society, which focused on studying the region's politics, cultures, customs, and environment. As the Society's inaugural president, he championed interdisciplinary research in an area previously underexplored by Western scholars. Collaborating closely with Harvard University's Hooton Laboratory, Morse conducted extensive anthropological fieldwork in the borderlands, collecting valuable data on the diverse populations of the region. The renowned anthropologist D. C. Graham praised Morse as a trailblazer in the study of the West China frontier and a leading figure in physical anthropology, Chinese medicine, and medical education. Morse's endeavors not only deepened the understanding of Western China's unique cultural and social landscape but also positioned him as a pioneer at the intersection of medicine and anthropology.