In 1891 she had an urgent message from the chief magistrate in the city of Chiangpei, opposite Chungking at the mouth of the Chialing river. His wife was seriously ill, but he would only allow a woman to help. The city gates were kept open late for her, a special four-bearer chair, with runners ahead to clear the way, swept her through the streets; but it was too late, and although the magistrate was persuaded to let a fully qualified male doctor come, his wife died, and the already strong anti-foreign feeling in Chiangpei was strengthened by the belief that the foreign medicines had killed her.]