Sangeetha came to visit me yesterday with her mother. Ready smile, cheerful personality reminded me of her father, my god friend, Dr. Vaidyanathan, my contemperory, who was a specialist doctor at the city corporation of Mangalore. Unfortunately he is no more. Sangeetha is his daughter who is a HR Professional and is doing well for herself. During the course of our interaction, I told her a story She was thrilled. I will now tell you that story.
One of my professors used to take 3 three hour classes at the bedside on Malaria. We had to stand. for the entire duration. The professor was a gold medalist from the London School of Tropical Medicine and also from the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine. No one had the courage to ask him why 9 hour class is needed when the disease is never seen in the country! One day, a student asked him that question. "When your city gets Malaria, there will be no one with the first hand knowledge of Malaria. Even this much information will prove to be inadequate!"
This proved to be prophetic when the event happened in mid 80 s. I saw a 24 year old boy having classical 'malarial rigor'. I had never seen one earlier. I was thrilled. I sent him to the lab for the blood test - P smear for Malaria. I got a phone call from the lab saying that it was positive for Falciparum parasites. I was in the clinic. I left everything as it is and ran to the lab. I saw the gametocytes which were banana shaped. I wanted to scream and tell the whole world I had seen a positive smear for Falciparum. I wanted to learn all that is there and teach my students. I even took a peripheral smear to show them!
Next day, I got up earlier than usual. I went to the hospital. Took a class for the students. They were also thrilled to see the peripheral smear. After the class I proudly went to the Dt. Malaria Officer. After all, I was the first doctor to see the parasite. Imagine my surprise when I was rudely shouted at and shown the door. "The whole thing is a figment of your imagination, he roared, this is a simple vivax infection!"Do not spread rumors!" I felt very bad. Next I went to the DHO. A worse fate awaited me here. "So you are the rumor monger. Do you know how much work is there if Falciparum is detected. Forget you ever saw it!" he said. I went home crestfallen.
Two weeks later, I got a frantic phone call from my lab. "We are finding a Falciparum positive in a VIP! What shall we do?" I insisted on the correct repoting. That evening the DC called a special meeting and declared officially that there was indeed Falciparum malaria in Mangalore.I was curious to know who was the VIP. To my utter surprise, it was Dr.my friend Vaidyanathan's wife- Sangeeta's mother. I barged into his office and said "How is it that your wife is more important than a common man?"He patiently listened and consoled me with his trademark smile "Dear Raghavendra, it is the DC who thinks my wife is important because he is my friend. I understand you. All are important. In fact, you should be happy - they have finally accepted the presence of Falciparum malaria in Mangalore" I was happy too!
When I ended the story Sangeeta flashed the trademark smile and said "Incredible story, uncle". Incredible indeed. For a moment I thought it was a miror image of my friend Dr. Vaidyanathan!
One of my professors used to take 3 three hour classes at the bedside on Malaria. We had to stand. for the entire duration. The professor was a gold medalist from the London School of Tropical Medicine and also from the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine. No one had the courage to ask him why 9 hour class is needed when the disease is never seen in the country! One day, a student asked him that question. "When your city gets Malaria, there will be no one with the first hand knowledge of Malaria. Even this much information will prove to be inadequate!"
This proved to be prophetic when the event happened in mid 80 s. I saw a 24 year old boy having classical 'malarial rigor'. I had never seen one earlier. I was thrilled. I sent him to the lab for the blood test - P smear for Malaria. I got a phone call from the lab saying that it was positive for Falciparum parasites. I was in the clinic. I left everything as it is and ran to the lab. I saw the gametocytes which were banana shaped. I wanted to scream and tell the whole world I had seen a positive smear for Falciparum. I wanted to learn all that is there and teach my students. I even took a peripheral smear to show them!
Next day, I got up earlier than usual. I went to the hospital. Took a class for the students. They were also thrilled to see the peripheral smear. After the class I proudly went to the Dt. Malaria Officer. After all, I was the first doctor to see the parasite. Imagine my surprise when I was rudely shouted at and shown the door. "The whole thing is a figment of your imagination, he roared, this is a simple vivax infection!"Do not spread rumors!" I felt very bad. Next I went to the DHO. A worse fate awaited me here. "So you are the rumor monger. Do you know how much work is there if Falciparum is detected. Forget you ever saw it!" he said. I went home crestfallen.
Two weeks later, I got a frantic phone call from my lab. "We are finding a Falciparum positive in a VIP! What shall we do?" I insisted on the correct repoting. That evening the DC called a special meeting and declared officially that there was indeed Falciparum malaria in Mangalore.I was curious to know who was the VIP. To my utter surprise, it was Dr.my friend Vaidyanathan's wife- Sangeeta's mother. I barged into his office and said "How is it that your wife is more important than a common man?"He patiently listened and consoled me with his trademark smile "Dear Raghavendra, it is the DC who thinks my wife is important because he is my friend. I understand you. All are important. In fact, you should be happy - they have finally accepted the presence of Falciparum malaria in Mangalore" I was happy too!
When I ended the story Sangeeta flashed the trademark smile and said "Incredible story, uncle". Incredible indeed. For a moment I thought it was a miror image of my friend Dr. Vaidyanathan!
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