A fascinating look at the story of surgery in this land
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As the Emeritus Professor of Surgery, University of Peradeniya, until recently, Professor Channa Ratnatunga’s (CR) fame among the medical fraternity mainly rested on his prowess as a skilled surgeon, excellent teacher and prolific researcher. Now, with the publication of his latest book – ‘The History of Surgery in Sri Lanka’ – CR has shown his love and eagerness to document historical aspects related to the surgical field of Sri Lanka for the benefit of the future generations of surgeons as well as for non-medical readers with a thirst for historically valuable facts.
By doing so CR aims ‘to enrich our history and to create a Sri Lankan surgical ethos, lest the memory ebb with the flow in the tide of time’ as stated in the prologue.
His book is the result of a prodigious exercise in collecting data over many years entailing many visits to libraries, perusing a large number of books and endless calls to historians and senior surgeons. Years of such labour, despite his restricted mobility and easy tiredness due to a cerebrovascular stroke several years ago, is beyond imagination.
‘The History of Surgery in Sri Lanka’ is a comprehensive account of all aspects relevant to surgical services of this country from medieval times to date. Although it deals with surgical aspects of Sri Lankan health services, it is of consummate importance to all those interested in surgical services of this country including surgeons, surgical trainees, historians, health care planners, medical administrators, and even patients.
Some of the documented events help to clear the doubts and biased accounts of certain important historical events of this country. The saga of events that took place after the shooting of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike is one such example. The account on the ancient monastic hospital system of Sri Lanka provides a detailed description including several rare pictures about this valuable treasure of ours. The chapters on the Paul Family and Dr P.R. Anthonis are full of anecdotes both enjoyable as well as informative even to non-medical readers.
The introductory chapter takes new readers through the pre-historical aspects where CR describes Sri Lanka as an island of modest proportions not so large as to have great internal variations and not so small as to lack heterogeneity. He further states that ‘the island had a relatively even level of social and technological development throughout the country in pre-modern times.’ It is the duty of present-day surgeons too to maintain this equity across the country when it comes to surgical services and patient care.
The chapters on Historical background, Early western medical influence and Dawn of modern surgery provide a collection of articles written by experts of their relevant fields which give a clear overall view of the metamorphosis of the surgical services of the country. The luminaries include Kingsley M. De Silva, Indrakeerthi Suraweera, Leelananda Prematillake and Arjuna Aluwihare. It is rare to find all these aspects described together in one book with great objectivity, and the trouble CR has taken to get all the experts to join him in this endeavour is commendable. His close relationship with the University of Peradeniya has undoubtedly placed him at a huge advantage over any other writer to accomplish this goal successfully.
In the chapter on Surgery in the Colonial period, CR quotes Juan Ribeyro, ‘No people understand the use of simple better than the Ceylonese so that with a few roots and herbs they cure ulcers, wounds and swellings.’ At a time when the country is facing an unprecedented economic crisis, surgeons should remind themselves of their ability to innovate simple techniques that help to cure surgical illnesses rather than wasting the meagre foreign cash reserves we have for what is imbibed as gospel truth from western text books. The author’s diligent and tenacious search for the exact details of Missionary hospitals and doyens of surgery during British rule would amaze any reader, not only in the said chapter itself but also during the next three chapters that follow.
In the epilogue CR makes a very apt and timely plea to the next generation – ‘Free health and free education even to the tertiary level were enlightened visionary policies of our forefathers that have helped us aspire to our current standards. The reader will observe in the text how attrition of our surgical manpower, followed times of instability, like the JVP insurrections in 1971 and ’88-89, and the unfortunate events of 1983, and the ensuing civil war that lasted more than two decades. As I pen these words in 2022, we seem to be again in the gloom regarding the future. Talented surgical manpower is a boon to any society. Many have stayed on to help a grieving nation in its time of need, we salute them for having faced the many vicissitudes of such turbulent times and helped to allay the health needs of the citizens of our motherland for which they were trained.’ This is food for thought not only for practising surgeons but for all doctors and nurses in this country.
The book consists of 523 pages and 34 compact chapters divided into five sections. With more than a thousand colour photographs, this extensive collection of these rare and historical images in itself is an attraction to buy the book which is reasonably priced at SLR 7500. Despite a few subediting errors the book is of great quality and Balin Printers, Kandy have done a wonderful job with the printing.
As a skilled surgeon and researcher CR is well known for his meticulous attention to accuracy and objectivity. Both accuracy and objectivity are duties and not virtues. CR has fastidiously ensured that this publication with 39 contributors, met these two criteria at all times. CR’s writing is stylish, and his attention to detail is thorough without being trivial. The resulting final product is an authoritative and compelling read. Oscar Wilde once said, ‘The one duty we owe to history is to rewrite it.’ That duty Professor Channa Ratnatunga has amply fulfilled.
The book is available at the College of Surgeons office at No. 6, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7.
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