Lin born at Gulangyu in December 1901. She came from a Westernized and Christian background, which shared with PUMC, hence she had a desire to be enrolled at the latter. She arrived in Shanghai to take the Pre-Medical Entrance Test of the college in 1921. Conducting the aid of a fainted damsel interrupted completing her paper. Still, the college admired her selflessness and admitted eventually her as a special case. Lin won the Walter A. Hawley scholarship to the PUMC as the most excellent graduate in 1929, which was considerable and might amount to the annual salary of an assistant resident.
Career
Lin became the first native female physician hired as an assistant resident in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PUMC hospital. Lin took advanced training in London and Manchester in 1932, she went to Vienna in the next year as a visiting scholar. In 1939, Lin went to Chicago University Medical School to continue her research. Meantime, Lin focused on the placenta praevia and placental abruption. Upon return to PUMC, Lin became the first native female to be appointed director of a hospital department of obstetrics and gynecology. Since the Pacific War broke out, the Hospital was closed by the Japanese military, Lin initiated personal practice at her residence, 10 Dongtangzi Hutong, where she finished a total of 8,887 medical records.
Lin's attitude towards the patients
Lin used to told her students and residents that only if a physician watched by his/her patient's bed, he/she will feel esteemed by his/her patient, while the patient feel the care and concern from the physician.
The object of the physician is a real living human...the medical treatment aimed at mending rather than fixing, it is important to get close to the patients on a face to face basis rather than merely to be a skilful mechanic.
Lin's attitude towards the pregnant women
When a pregnant woman has contractions, Lin always comforts her. She prefers putting her ear against her abdomen gently to using a stethoscope to catch the fetus's heart beating. It was believed to be a way dispelling her fear or narrowing the gap. Lin trusted that "better to be early than late" for the antenatal check-up. In the 1970s, there was once a pregnant woman who delayed her first antenatal check-up to the 7th month. She was angry, and regarded it as a shame for an obstetrician and gynecologist, since she blamed the situation on her negligent manner.
Lin suffered from several diseases later in life. She died on April 22, 1984 at the PUMC Hospital. She donated her body for anatomical teaching. Later, her ashes were scattered over the sea. She left money to be used for a kindergarten and to endow a fund to award a young resident. On the seventh anniversary of Lin's death in 1990, China Post issued a commemorative stamp to honour her.
Personal life
Lin never married. To some extent it might be attributed to the hospital authority used to believed that career and marriage are mutually exclusive for a young doctor. She lived at Waijiaobu Road, No.59 with her niece Lin Xinkeng, and the latter's husband Zhou Huakang until she died. Lin lived mostly on coffee, even Zhou Enlai once gave her some as a gift. Lin and Peng Zhen's family had an amicable relationship.
Scientific papers
The effect of respiration stimulants in the newborn infant, Am. J. Obst. & Gynec., 50: 146–153, 1945
Family
Lin's father spent his most young period in Singapore, then he returned Xiamen and became an English teacher.
