8. Introduction of Modern Medicine in British India

The Englishmen during their 190 years of rule in India gave us the game of cricket and modern medicine. “ Calcutta Medical College was the first institution in India imparting a systematic education in western medicine.

The British East India Company established the Indian Medical Service (IMS) as early as 1764 to look after Europeans in British India. IMS officers headed military and civilian hospitals in Bombay, Calcutta and Madras, and also accompanied the Company's ships and army.

A utilitarian approach and the need to provide expert apothecaries, compounders, and dressers in different hospitals prompted the earliest official involvement with medical education in India.

These subordinate assistants would help European doctors and surgeons who looked after the health of European civilians and military employees and also reduce the company's financial burdens by limiting the appointment of European doctors."
“ From 1826 onwards, classes on Unani and Ayurvedic medicine were held respectively at the Calcutta madrasa and the Sanskrit college. In 1827 John Tyler, an Orientalist and the first superintendent of the NMI started lectures on Mathematics and Anatomy at the Sanskrit College.

In general, the medical education provided by the colonial state at this stage involved parallel instructions in western and indigenous medical systems.

Translation of western medical texts was encouraged and though dissection was not performed, clinical experience was a must. Trainee medical students had to attend different hospitals and dispensaries. Successful native doctors were absorbed into government jobs.

Towards the end of 1833 a Committee was appointed by the government of William Bentinck in Bengal to report on the state of medical education and also to suggest whether teaching of indigenous system should be discontinued.

The Committee recommended that the state found a medical college 'for the education of the natives'. The various branches of medical science cultivated in Europe should be taught in this college.

The intending candidates should possess a reading and writing knowledge of the English language, similar knowledge of Bengali and Hindustani and a proficiency in Arithmetic.

This recommendation, soon followed by Macaulay's minute and Bentinck's resolution, sealed the fate of the school for native doctors and medical classes at the two leading oriental institutions of Calcutta.

The NMI was abolished and the medical classes at the Sanskrit College and at the Madrasa were discontinued by the government order of 28 January 1835.

This marked the end of official patronage of indigenous medical learning which in its turn evoked long-term reaction among the Indian practitioners of indigenous medicine and later the nationalists who strongly criticised the government for the withdrawal of patronage to the Indian system.

Different sections of the Indian population responded differently to this newly founded system of education. Among the Hindus the Brahmins, Kayasthas, Vaidyas, were particularly enthusiastic about medical education.

The activities of the Calcutta Medical College started on 20 February 1835 with the process of admission of students. Twenty students were selected through a preliminary examination of about one hundred students.

These boys had received their education either at the Hindu College, Hare School or the General Assembly's Institution. Twenty-nine more students had already been selected.

All of these 49 students were to receive a monthly stipend of Rs 7 from the government, but it was to be raised gradually.

The students were to remain in the College for a period of not less than 4 years and not more than 6 years. On completion of their studies the students had to sit for a final examination.

Successful candidates were to receive from the President of the Committee of education certificates of qualifications to practise surgery and medicine.

They could also enter public service where they would be called 'Native Doctors' receiving an initial pay of Rs 30 per month which would be raised to Rs 40 after 7 years and to 50 after 14 years of service.

In 1864, the Bengali class was divided into two sections: The Native Apothecary section, which trained students for government employment, and the Vernacular Licentiate section which gave instructions in medicine and surgery in order to enable the students to practise among the less affluent sections of Indians.

In 1873, both these classes were transferred to a new school called the Sealdah Medical School or the Campbell Medical School. The Hindu bhadralok class, Europeans and Eurasians dominated the student population. Although during 1880-1890 there was a small increase in the number of Muslim students, their proportion was very small.

A resolution of 29 June 1883 allowed the admission of women into the CMC after doing FA. Kadambini Ganguly, a Bengali Brahmo became the first woman admitted to the CMC. In 1884 the government offered scholarships of Rs 20 per month to all female students. Bidhu Mukhi Bose and Virginia Mary Mitter received these scholarships and became the first Indian women to graduate during 1888-89.

An important change occurred in 1906 when the Calcutta University decided to discontinue the LMS examination held since 1861 and henceforth confer only the degrees of MB and MD. The last batch of LMS students was examined in 1911.
During the 1930s, the system of reservation of seats was introduced, based on the relative population of different classes of people.

Further it was decided that of the 100 students taken, 5 were to be female candidates. Most of the female students belonged to the Anglo-Indian, Christian, Brahmo or Parsi community ( Source :Wikipedia).

The traditional Indian medicine could not stand against the imported medicine which claimed to be based on scientific evidence. Gradually the high up’s managed to get the door of modern medicine open to them.

Subsequently civil surgeons were posted in every district that formed the superstructure of the health care system without having been maintaining any relation with the silent majority.

My Words
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Abul Kashem Minto