The Japanese found that 6.3% of the population were opium smokers – it was usually a long established habit. The government decided on the following measures:

1. Distribute licenses to smoke to all confirmed smokers.
2. Set up a monopoly very strictly to control the sale of opium.
3. Very strict prohibition of further (new) smoking with dire penalties
4. Medical examination of all smokers with compulsory treatment for those who it was judged could be redeemed from their habit.

In 1900 there were 169,064 licensed smokers (6.3 % of population)

In 1929 there were 24,626 licensed smokers (0.6 % of population)

In 1942 there were 6,660 licensed smokers (0.09 % of population)

It is assumed that by 1945 they had died out or had given up the habit.

A Taiwanese professor, Tsung-ming Tu, one of the early graduates of the Taipei Medical College, and a Ph.D. in pharmacology was in charge of this long programme. The result was highly commendable.

While the Japanese colonial government was pursuing all these aims for the betterment of health, what of the mission hospitals? The mission hospitals were developing their services and improving their efficiency. The relationship between them and the government hospitals was cordial. The government's vast medical organization overshadowed the mission hospitals. But the spirit of Christian service and the high quality of treatment given still attracted many patients.

[The community doctors of earlier times were replaced by Japanese.]

In 1901 Dr. James Maxwell, the younger son of Dr. James Maxwell, the first missionary, trained at Barts, came to work in the Tainan hospital which his father had founded in 1868. There were new buildings, and 100 beds. He performed much surgery. Under Japanese influence the people's minds were broadening and putting absolute faith in western surgery... critical operations were pressed upon the doctor. Mrs. Maxwell was a Barts' nurse—she trained her Taiwanese nurses to give the post –operative care needed.