I too remember Dr S very vividly. He would greet you with a broad smile . His crown reminded us of the billiard ball. He very tactfully would ensure that the patient had bought money by looking at his palm while checking the pulse.
Another Doctor who had the ability to cure the patient just by his smile. His name is Dr Somashekar Kadle. A very handsome, tall person resembling Rock Hudson.Very affable person,would greet the patient with a broad smile, sit next to him and put the patient totally at ease He had elephantine memory , would remember the medicines that the patient was allergic to.,even after many days. His charges were nominal Unfortunately he passed away at a very young age,may be around 45 years. He worked in St Marha's hospital, but would practice in the evenings at Rajajinagar.
Present doctors are are no where near those endearing doctors.
I still remember the doctor coming to the house when I had a fever but those days are long gone! They now rely on blood tests and technology for treatment and not even sure they use a stethoscope! It is very difficult to even find an internist in the US without subscribing to a concierge practice. Most practices are closed and not taking on new patients. To make it more difficult, if one is admitted to the hospital, your primary doctor does not come to treat you but rather you are under the treatment of a hospital doctor.
Are we getting better care than we did with the doctor who came to the house? Perhaps not, but at least the doctor knew us and formed a relationship to add comfort and caring.
Hope u are rocking as always. An avid follower of FC and at times I do leave my thoughts.
On the sidelines I am working to build a digital streaming entertainment platform for children with focus on early childhood. It combines life skills videos with entertainment.
I wish to walk you through the concept and seek a suitable time from you. I am sure your vast and in-depth experience will be a guiding force for us. Look forward to hear from you.
It was nostalgic read. It took me down to memory lane. My grandfather who was a military doctor and served in World War II settled down as a ‘private practitioner’ in the princely state of Coochbehar which also happens to be our maternal grandfather’s home. He practiced till the age of 85. Patients from neighbouring states of Assam, Bihar and Northeast used to come to him. He was a student of the great Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. My grandfather was an amazing doctor with deep knowledge and his diagnosis was impeccable. His stethoscope and his human touch was just magical.
Many a times during my school holidays I used to visit his clinic and watch his interactions with his patients.
A funny incident I recall, there was a child who came for checkup with his parents from Assam. He checked and prescribed medications. He had few medicines in stock which he gave away to the parents. For food he told to give the child one boiled hen’s egg thrice a week. As you know during those days (late seventies) the eggs were all local and not from poultry, and the desi hen’s eggs were usually small in size. Hearing this, the parents told my grandfather, ‘ Doctor the as the hen egg is small in size can we give him duck’s egg which is larger in size’.
Hearing this my grandfather looked up to the parents and smilingly told, then why don’t you give horse’s egg which will be very large…
The parents nervously told, Doctor we have understood and will give our son hen’s egg.
Yes, I too remember with admiration, respect n awe, our burma returned,
family dr who would come every time he was called.. wearing suit, the hunter's hat , and his meds n injection kit. Remember too, me hiding under the cot fearing his prick. He would accept butter milk, n the rs 2 or so that my aunt would slip into his pocket 😀 This was in Azhikode, Kannur dist of kerala. Those were the times! 😊
Your episode of FC on family doctors took me back to the 1970s when I lived in Chennai in Thousand Lights, a working class neighbourhood. Dr. Kamalakannan, our family doctor, had a small clinic and charged just Rs.2 per consultation. From the poor, he did not take even this amount and gave tonics and pills free to them. I do believe that doctors like him had a healing touch, and just having them feel your pulse was halfway to getting well. 'Don't come next time with the same complaint' he used to say with dry humour.
The family Dr. Yes I remember the Doctor I had at that time in early 1960’s in Thiruvananthapuram or as Trivandrum as it was then known. Dr Balakrishnan was his name. He always wore a coat- a brown one I remember. I do not remember him wearing a hat, but he had a Morris Minor car and a compounder who gave all those bitter tasting and tasteful looking color liquids as medicines. He had his consulting room on the Statue Road leading to the General Hospital on the right side of the road. (That’s for those who remember the place or the Dr.!) However, I do not remember him coming home but I do remember visiting him. Thank you, Pras for re-kindling the memories of those good old days when Doctors and compounders was all that was needed. Of course, those were the days when Doctors had a kind of reverence that would put us at ease. Today of course longevity of life is far more than those days but Doctors were not looked at the way now as then. Thank God for that.
Thank you for choosing such a topic! It made me recollect a childhood memory. It is about a compounder, who was our neighbor, who later took the position of a family doctor to many. The interesting fact is that he made us to choose the symptom from a variety of symptoms written in a book, which was kept on his table. He took up the job not for any monetary benefit, but to help the people of his village. Happy to have known such a kind soul.
Thank you again for another interesting content. You are the best!!!
I too remember Dr S very vividly. He would greet you with a broad smile . His crown reminded us of the billiard ball. He very tactfully would ensure that the patient had bought money by looking at his palm while checking the pulse.
Another Doctor who had the ability to cure the patient just by his smile. His name is Dr Somashekar Kadle. A very handsome, tall person resembling Rock Hudson.Very affable person,would greet the patient with a broad smile, sit next to him and put the patient totally at ease He had elephantine memory , would remember the medicines that the patient was allergic to.,even after many days. His charges were nominal Unfortunately he passed away at a very young age,may be around 45 years. He worked in St Marha's hospital, but would practice in the evenings at Rajajinagar.
Present doctors are are no where near those endearing doctors.
A funny saying in sanskrit says thus
Vaidya rajo namasthubhayam
Yemaraja sahodaraha
Yeman haranti pranani
Vaidyo haranti pranani dhananicha,
There are many doctors on whom this cap fits.
I still remember the doctor coming to the house when I had a fever but those days are long gone! They now rely on blood tests and technology for treatment and not even sure they use a stethoscope! It is very difficult to even find an internist in the US without subscribing to a concierge practice. Most practices are closed and not taking on new patients. To make it more difficult, if one is admitted to the hospital, your primary doctor does not come to treat you but rather you are under the treatment of a hospital doctor.
Are we getting better care than we did with the doctor who came to the house? Perhaps not, but at least the doctor knew us and formed a relationship to add comfort and caring.
Very poignant! Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts.
Hi Prasanna,
Hope u are rocking as always. An avid follower of FC and at times I do leave my thoughts.
On the sidelines I am working to build a digital streaming entertainment platform for children with focus on early childhood. It combines life skills videos with entertainment.
I wish to walk you through the concept and seek a suitable time from you. I am sure your vast and in-depth experience will be a guiding force for us. Look forward to hear from you.
Best.
Tapas
9819197631
You can send me an email at mrprasanna@gmail.com
I have sent the email. Good morning!
It was nostalgic read. It took me down to memory lane. My grandfather who was a military doctor and served in World War II settled down as a ‘private practitioner’ in the princely state of Coochbehar which also happens to be our maternal grandfather’s home. He practiced till the age of 85. Patients from neighbouring states of Assam, Bihar and Northeast used to come to him. He was a student of the great Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. My grandfather was an amazing doctor with deep knowledge and his diagnosis was impeccable. His stethoscope and his human touch was just magical.
Many a times during my school holidays I used to visit his clinic and watch his interactions with his patients.
A funny incident I recall, there was a child who came for checkup with his parents from Assam. He checked and prescribed medications. He had few medicines in stock which he gave away to the parents. For food he told to give the child one boiled hen’s egg thrice a week. As you know during those days (late seventies) the eggs were all local and not from poultry, and the desi hen’s eggs were usually small in size. Hearing this, the parents told my grandfather, ‘ Doctor the as the hen egg is small in size can we give him duck’s egg which is larger in size’.
Hearing this my grandfather looked up to the parents and smilingly told, then why don’t you give horse’s egg which will be very large…
The parents nervously told, Doctor we have understood and will give our son hen’s egg.
I was like LOL 😂….
Indeed LOL. Thank you for sharing this piece of family history
I just love the cute joke!
I am falling behind in reading the Sunday treats but will catch up soon.
Yes, I too remember with admiration, respect n awe, our burma returned,
family dr who would come every time he was called.. wearing suit, the hunter's hat , and his meds n injection kit. Remember too, me hiding under the cot fearing his prick. He would accept butter milk, n the rs 2 or so that my aunt would slip into his pocket 😀 This was in Azhikode, Kannur dist of kerala. Those were the times! 😊
Your episode of FC on family doctors took me back to the 1970s when I lived in Chennai in Thousand Lights, a working class neighbourhood. Dr. Kamalakannan, our family doctor, had a small clinic and charged just Rs.2 per consultation. From the poor, he did not take even this amount and gave tonics and pills free to them. I do believe that doctors like him had a healing touch, and just having them feel your pulse was halfway to getting well. 'Don't come next time with the same complaint' he used to say with dry humour.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Loved it Pras. So much interesting detail, you truly vividly brought alive the good old family doctor experience. It's the time of Apple now!
Thanks TK. Coming from you, it's a compliment to cherish.
I think the better word to describe the place where he practiced his art was dispensary not consulting room.
The family Dr. Yes I remember the Doctor I had at that time in early 1960’s in Thiruvananthapuram or as Trivandrum as it was then known. Dr Balakrishnan was his name. He always wore a coat- a brown one I remember. I do not remember him wearing a hat, but he had a Morris Minor car and a compounder who gave all those bitter tasting and tasteful looking color liquids as medicines. He had his consulting room on the Statue Road leading to the General Hospital on the right side of the road. (That’s for those who remember the place or the Dr.!) However, I do not remember him coming home but I do remember visiting him. Thank you, Pras for re-kindling the memories of those good old days when Doctors and compounders was all that was needed. Of course, those were the days when Doctors had a kind of reverence that would put us at ease. Today of course longevity of life is far more than those days but Doctors were not looked at the way now as then. Thank God for that.
Thank you for going down memory lane and supplementing my narrative.
Well u took me back to my child hood days we were in a place called Arni near Chennai
We had a doctor by named to Dr Dharmarajan MBBS
As name would suggest he used to charge rs 2 and mere visit to our house
and touch would send the sickness away
His dispensary housed in a large complex old building of course
There we used to meet the compounder
Who used to mix coloured liquid s as described by u
Wonderful experience s recalled thanks and regards
Thank you Murthy. That so beautiful. I could imagine being there.
Thank you for choosing such a topic! It made me recollect a childhood memory. It is about a compounder, who was our neighbor, who later took the position of a family doctor to many. The interesting fact is that he made us to choose the symptom from a variety of symptoms written in a book, which was kept on his table. He took up the job not for any monetary benefit, but to help the people of his village. Happy to have known such a kind soul.
Thank you again for another interesting content. You are the best!!!
Thank you Soumya for sharing this very interesting experience .