Untold lives blog

Sharing stories from the past, worldwide

22 March 2013

Indian Doctors and the first Asiatic Cholera Pandemic

The role western physicians played in treating and conducting research into nineteenth century Indian cholera epidemics is well publicised. However in celebrating the bicentenary of John Snow’s birth, it is also important to remember the crucial role of Indian doctors employed by the government of British India to combat such outbreaks. In 1817, the first cases of what developed into the first Asiatic cholera pandemic broke out in Bengal. Within months the government had treated over 21,876 individuals cases in the areas around Calcutta. The medical authorities did not yet understand the causes of cholera nor how to treat it effectively, often prescribing brutal treatments or dangerous substances such as opium. Such a lack of understanding in addition to the consequent pressures on medical personnel, resources, and reluctance within the general population of receiving medical treatment from European doctors resulted in a policy of employing Indian doctors and physicians almost immediately. Once appointed, such individuals were provided with medicine and other supplies including brandy and eau de Luce before being stationed within particular areas of Bengal to treat and care for the infected.


Map by showing the places chiefly visited by the epidemic

Map by James Jameson showing the places chiefly visited by the epidemic, from Report on the Epidemick Cholera Morbus, as it visited the territories subject to the Presidency of Bengal, in the years 1817, 1818 and 1819.  (Calcutta, 1820).      Public Domain Creative Commons Licence

Despite the important role they were to play, the employment was only temporary.  Many Indian physicians were appointed during the height of an outbreak and then dismissed once the government felt the situation was back under control. One such individual was Ramtonoo Kuberary who was employed for four months and twenty one days to treat the infected at Khal Boalia and paid a monthly allowance of eight sicca rupees. In the official statistics forwarded to London it was stated that in one area of Bengal out of a total of 10,621 cases treated by Indian doctors, 10,035 were restored to health and 57 returned to their friends in a convalescent state.  At a more local level, magistrates in Dacca reported that four Indian physicians named Dhunnoo, Niamut, Abdool and Abdoola treated 1,124 cases out of which 1,025 were cured and 101 died. These four medical men therefore had a success rate of 91%. Bearing in mind such success was often achieved under difficult working conditions, it is small wonder that Indian physicians earned the respect and gratitude not only of their European counterparts within the medical profession, but also from the Bengal Government.

Richard Scott Morel and Lynn Osborne
India Office Records  


Further reading:
IOR/F/4/617/15372: Correspondence relating to the Cholera epidemic in Bengal; expenses for medicine and employment of Native Doctors.

 

Comments

The comments to this entry are closed.

Untold lives blog recent posts

Archives

Tags

Other British Library blogs