Google dey honour Dr Wu Lien-teh, di Chinese-Malaysian epidemiologist wey be di first pesin to create surgical mask, di first face mask for history before di N95 mask wey many pipo dey use today to take control di spread of coronavirus.

To celebrate dis ogbonge achievement, Google dedicate dia Doodle to celebrate Dr. Wu on wetin suppose be im 142nd birthday.

Google say di doctor na "Devoted advocate and practitioner of medical advancement, Wu efforts no only change public health for China but dat of di whole world. Happy birthday to di man behind di mask, Dr. Wu Lien-teh!"

Important facts to sabi about Dr Wu Lien-teh

Dem born Dr Lien-teh for 1879 for one of di Straits Settlements of Penang, Malaya wey dey part of di colonies of di British Empire.

Im papa na immigrant from Taishan China and e be goldsmith. Im mama also na from China from di Hakka heritage. Wu get four brothers and six sisters. He start im early education for di Penang free school.

At di age of 17, he move go England and become di first medical student from China to get Master's Degree from Cambridge University before e join China Imperial Army Medical College as vice director for 1908.

He continue im studies for St Mary Hospital, London, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, di Pasteur Institute, Halle University, and di Selangor Institute.

Wu later go back to di Straits Settlements for 1903. He marry Ruth Shu-chiung Huang.

For 1907, Wu and im family move go China, in 1907 China, During dia stay for China, Wu wife and two of dia three sons die. E remarry and get four more children.

During di Japanese invasion of Manchuria for November 1931, Japanese authorities arrest Wu on top accuse say im be Chinese spy.

Career

For September 1903, Wu join di Institute for Medical Research for Kuala Lumpur as di first research student but no specialist postion for am.

He spend im early medical career dey do research on beri-beri and roundworms before e enta private practice towards di end of 1904.

Pneumonic plague

For 1910, one unknown epidemic hit di Manchuria region of China and di Chinese goment appoint Wu to investigate am. He identify di disease as a highly contagious pneumonic plague wey dey spread through respiratory transmission, wey later dey known as di Manchurian plague.

One of di ways Wu help to take fight di spread of di disease na by designing a surgical mask wit cotton and gauze wey get plenty layers of cloth to filter inhalations.

Wu advise pipo to wear di mask to protect themselves from di disease. E work wit goment to establish quarantine stations and hospitals, restrict travel and apply progressive techniques to sterilize equipment.

Di doctor leadership help to end di pandemic for April 1911—within four months afta dem give am di task of controlling di spread.

Wu start di Chinese Medical Association, di kontri largest and oldest non-governmental medical association for 1915.

Twenty years later, Wu become di first Malaysian, and di first pesin to dey nominated for di Nobel prize in physiology or medicine.

Death and commemoration

Wu practise medicine until im death at di age of 80. He buy one new house for Penang for im retirement and complete im 667-page autobiography, Plague Fighter, di Autobiography of a Modern Chinese Physician.

On 21 January 1960, he die of stroke for im house.

Plenty pipo don write tok many good things about Dr Wu and don do many things to honour im memory. Some of dem na;

For July 2020, sabi pipo publish collaborative article of medical and scientific descendants for di first time, to remember and honour Dr Wu lifetime work in Public Health.

For August 2020, a second joint article to honour Dr Wu dey published by a second group of im medical and scientific descendants.

For March 2021, during di COVID-19 pandemic, Google honor Dr Wu wit a Doodle.

Dr. Wu Lien-teh great-granddaughter, Dr. Shan Woo Liu, na attending physician for Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor of emergency medicine for Harvard Medical School.