9. Social acceptance

9. Social acceptance

Nawabs, Zamindars, businessmen and other high up’s were biased to accept this modern medicine to whom it became a symbol of status.

They did not hesitate to send their kids to the medical schools established by the Englishmen.

It also emerged as more a status symbol than a human service.

All the medical colleges were established in the north and south India except the first one in Kolkata depending on its feasibility in the eye of the government.

A few medical schools were established in the eastern part of Bengal. This goal of these schools were to impart workable knowledge and training to the students willing to take medicine as a profession.

LMF ( Licentiate Medical Fellow ) degree was given to them which consolidated their social, professional and legal position.

These LMF doctors were the torch bearer of modern medicine in India order to take it to the vast masses and stood as a liaison between the past and present.

The instant relief given by the modern medicine came to them as a magic. They were motivated to make a new look at life.
Most of LMF doctors preferred to live with the people and earn a reasonable income. No patient did ever refused by them without any treatment or medicine. So as a result they were very much respected and honored in the society.

In those day’s a number of medicines were prepare by the doctors or their pharmacists. Some them had microscopes too. So, a doc had the scope to work as pathologist and pharmacist as well. None could think to move from one door to another for having the investigations done.

They were directly connected with the people and used to go the house of the patients to stand beside them. The most popular item was alkali mixture which gave sufficient time to the doctors understand the hidden problems and stabilized the patients.

It saved the patients free from the risk of arbitrary use of antibiotics, analgesics etc.

Blessings of the people remained with those LMF docs who founded the base of modern medicine. But they were made a second class professional following introduction of M.B Course. In fact there was no wrong in launching the M.B programs. The LMF’s worked with the general people while the M. B’s were the experts.

It was much more desired that a sound referral system will be introduced but practically it failed to take an effective shape. The M.B and subsequently the Royal College fellows took the arena. The more the degree is achieved the more respect and honor he will claim. It also brought more fortune for the better qualified docs.

In the most poverty stricken East Bengal M.B and British Royal College fellows were not involved in medical practice who found Kolkata a better ground. LMF docs, medical assistants, nurses and compounders stood beside these poor people in disease and distress.

With the introduction of Aurbedic medicine by a former teacher of chemistry in the Bhagalpur College the Shadana Oushdayala, a company owned by him came as big relief to them. Similarly with introduction of Hekami and Uninany medicine a new day of confidence began mainly because of the affordable price.

The Dhaka Medical College was “ established in 1946, it took about 10 years for the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital to start operations because of bureucratic entanglements. The Dhaka Medical College and its affiliate, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, were accommodated in a building constructed in 1904 as the Secretariat Building for the province of East Bengal and Assam.

The building was transferred to the University of Dhaka in 1921. One part of it was converted into the university's medical centre, one part into a student dormitory, while the residual part was allotted for use as the academic wing of the Faculty of Arts.

The whole building was used as "American Base Hospital" during World War II. When the Americans left, a one hundred bed hospital was established in it.

This created the base of the DMCH, which at the beginning had only four departments - Medical, Surgery, Gynaecology and ENT. The institute did not have any hostel for students. Male students were allowed to reside in Dhaka University's student halls, but girls had to attend classes from their homes. After the partition of Bengal in 1947, a large number of students came from Calcutta Medical College and sought admission in Dhaka Medical College.
Similarly, many left Dhaka Medical College for Calcutta. The college and hospital premises were expanded in new temporary sheds, some of which were built for outdoor services of the hospital and some others for students' hostels.

New buildings for hostel, college and hospital were constructed in phases: a hostel for girls in 1952, a hostel for male students in 1954-55, a new complex of academic buildings in 1955, and a hostel for internee doctors in 1974-75.”(Source Wikipedia)

My Words

Eight :
- A majority of Bangladeshi husbands start their conjugal life by telling about the likings and dislikings of all the members of his family and thus making the bride a hostage of yes, no in the very first night.

Abul Kashem Minto