David Duncan Main

David Duncan Main (1856–1934) was a British doctor, best known for his medical missionary work in Hangzhou, the capital of the south-eastern Chinese Province Zhejiang, during the late 1800s and early 1900s. He was superintendent of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) Medical Mission from his arrival in 1881 until 1927, Main and his wife, Florence Nightingale Smith, opened over thirty medical buildings during their time in China, as well as a centre for industrial work training.

He was characterised by his cheerful and trustworthy nature, When he retired in 1926, the hospital was dealing with 3,000 inpatients and 60,000 outpatients per year.

Early life and education (1856–1873)

David Duncan Main was born on 10 June 1856 in Ayrshire in western Scotland, After attending one of Moody's speeches, Main join the revival movement, which put him in touch with medical missionaries. During his time with Findlay, he met the medical missionary Donald Morrison, and himself entered medical missionary work.

Work abroad Main married Florence Nightingale Smith in 1881; was founded after increasing numbers of patients lined up at the dispensary each morning, and more in-patient space was needed. To fund this expansion operation, Main saw private patients, who paid him small fees for his service. Main reported that he had been "sent out here to glorify God by our lives work, and we must do it as far as possible under the healthiest conditions," thus implying the existing hospital conditions to be unfit. Main stated in a letter of correspondence "The Chinese are too conservative, and have too high an opinion of their own country." a resort built on the site of Main's former summer residence, Villa #1, in Moganshan, China. The museum is a celebration of his life's work, especially the medical work he carried out in the local area. There are many old photos and writings on display from the era.