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Index Home Some discoveries are serendipitous. Born in 1881, medicine was not an initial choice for Alexander Flemming. He initially studied in a polytechnic and later worked in a shipping office for four years, before enrolling in St Mary’s medical school. In 1906, he had completed MBBS, and was contemplating training in surgery. His colleagues in… Continue reading A Mold that saved the world

Index Home Medical students know a deal about microscopists and scientists Robert Koch (who discovered TB bacillus), Rudolf Virchow (who gave us number of terms in pathology) , and Louis Pasteur (a pioneer in development of fermentation, preservation and vaccines). There may be a number of forgotten scientists, but one I stumbled on recently through a… Continue reading A medical scientist forgotten from the public view

Index Home India gained its independence on 15th August 1947, and has issued more than 1100 postage stamps that feature a personality. Mahatma Gandhi featured in a first such stamp in 1948. Over next 75 years, 40 of these “person-stamps” were related to healthcare, less than 4% of the total. First twenty five years (1948-73), and… Continue reading Personalities related to health & medicine in Indian stamps

Index Home The year 1923 was a landmark of sorts for medical philately. On 25th of May, France issued a Louis Pasteur postage stamp. This was the first time, a medical scientist was on a postage stamp. (Barring E Espajo, a doctor-nationalist leader who had featured on a stamp from Ecuador in 1899). Science had finally… Continue reading Science gives a gentle nudge to the monarchs !!

Index Home Need and desire to peep through small holes, to identify and treat human diseases was always there. Challenge was how to make it happen. Real efforts started early in 19th century with small tubes and candle light (Phillip Bozzini 1806; Uteroscope). Over next 100 years, we had long rigid tubes, and light bulb that… Continue reading One stamp one story: Flexible endoscopy

Index Home Each stamp has a story to tell. These are lucky few, where I have either one, or just a few to weave a story. These medical themes may be rare, uncommon, or out of sight for those who do not have them. Further, their limited advocacy may have led to only a small number… Continue reading One stamp one story: Inflamed Bowel

Index Home Many laurels in surgery rest on the shoulders of Anaesthesia and Antisepsis. Anaesthesia is a science that can make a person stuporous, and withstand pain during surgery. On the other hand antisepsis is a set of practices that reduces chances of an infection during a surgery. While anaesthesia was officially born on 16th October… Continue reading A curious case of the “missing” anaesthetist

Index Home Valentin Hauy (1745-1822), a linguist and an interpreter in the Royal court, established world’s first school for the blind, in Paris. This was in 1785, when families either kept visually impaired children hidden in their homes, or got them admitted them to an asylum. Valentin developed elevated letters, that could be felt with fingers.… Continue reading Empowering people with a disability

Index Home It took global community, more than thirty-five years just to come out of their disability closet. Thirty-five years is a gross understatement, as we shift our start-line to 1945, end of the Second World War. We were fresh from the horrors that were inflicted by Nazi Germany on the civilian population. In 1948, all… Continue reading Coming out of the disability closet

Index Home Postage stamps are a mirror of our past. Often, less than a square inch of space, sums up prevalent societal, political, and behavioural norms. Our past perceptions, as well as discrimination meted out on individuals with disability, will remain as our wall of shame. Postage stamps, issued prior to 1980s, are its glaring testimony.… Continue reading A mirror of the past and our wall of shame