Search 9

SEARCH 9

1 May 2005 (Labour Day, after maghrib)

The ninth search is to study the information provided on the NUSS alumni website as mentioned by En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani in one of his e-mails (see at end of Search 4). I had accessed the site earlier and had printed the information on 29 January 2005 but only have time for it today. It is 8.15 pm.

You can go to the NUSS homepage at http://www.nuss.org.sg and click on the History button on the left navigation menu to get to the web page on History. The printed web page carried the text 'Welcome to NUSS website' and the url is http://www.nuss.org.sg/about_History_Frame.htm. The page contained a number of errors so it is difficult to make out what actually happened based on the information provided on the NUSS website alone.

However, I am just rearranging the information from that page here to see how things fall into place. I have also inserted the two world wars and the Great Depression which occurred to see their effects. The following is a reconstructed register based on the probable activities which occurred between 1905 - 1948.

MILESTONES IN MEDICINE 1905-1948

1905 - Straits Settlements and Federal Malay States (SFMS) Government Medical School opened. It did not state where and when exactly. The SFMS Govt Medical School opened in the disused Female Lunatic Asylum at Sepoy Lines in Singapore.

1906 - no activities were noted.

1907 - no activities were noted.

1908 - no activities were noted.

1909 - no activities were noted.

1910 - The first batch of 7 medical students graduated with the Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS). It did not state whether this batch graduated in March or August 1910. This degree should be the equivalent of our MBBS or MD degree conferred on medical undergraduates today after 5 years of successful completion of the medical programme. Since Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak graduated only in 1911, we can be sure that he did not graduate in this first batch. Did Dr. Abdul Samad graduate in 1910? We are still uncertain.

August 1911 - Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak graduated from the Straits Settlements and Federal Malay States (SFMS) Government Medical School. He was the first Malay doctor in Malaya who graduated from a western medical school. He graduated in the second batch of doctors in 1911 (the first batch graduated in 1910 and consisted of 7 students).

1912 - The institution's name was changed to King Edward VII Medical School. So, we can now say that all our early doctors who graduated between 1912-1921, graduated from the KE VII Medical School.

March 1912 - Dr. S Kassim graduated from KE VII Medical School.
 

1913 - no news of the medical graduates.

1914 - no news of the medical graduates.

1915 - no news of the medical graduates.

1916 - (Start of World War 1)

March 1916 - Dr. HS Moonshi and Dr. Pandak Ahmad b Allang Samin (Pandak Ahmad b Alang Sidin) graduated from KE VII Medical School.

August 1916 - Dr. Md Ibrahim graduated from KE VII Medical School.

March 1917 - Dr. Md Baboo graduated from KE VII Medical School.

August 1917 - Dr. IM Ghows graduated from KE VII Medical School.

1918 - no news of the medical graduates. (End of World War 1)

1919 - no news of the medical graduates.

1920 - no news of the medical graduates.

1921 - The Medical School expanded and became King Edward VII College of Medicine. So, we can now say that all our early doctors who graduated after 1921, graduated from the KE VII College of Medicine.

1921 - no news of the medical graduates.

1922 - no news of the medical graduates.

March 1923 - Dr. Hamzah b Taib graduated from KE VII College of Medicine.

March 1924 - Dr. Hussein b Md Ibrahim (Hussin b Mohamed Ibrahim) graduated from KE VII College of Medicine.

1925 - no news of the medical graduates.
1926 - no news of the medical graduates.
1927 - no news of the medical graduates.

1928 - Raffles College opens.

1928 - no news of the medical graduates.

1929 - Raffles College official opening.

March 1929 - Dr. Nizamuddin Ahmad (Nizamudding Ahmad) graduated from KE VII College of Medicine.

March 1930 - Dr. Che Lah b Mohd Joonos (10 December 1903 - 26 January 1986) graduated from KE VII College of Medicine with the Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS).

1931 - no news of the medical graduates.
1932 - no news of the medical graduates.
1933 - no news of the medical graduates.
1934 - no news of the medical graduates.
1935 - no news of the medical graduates.

1936 - Datuk Dr. Haji Abbas Alias (1914 - 2004) graduated from KE VII College of Medicine with the Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS). (The Great Depression occurred in USA)

1937 - no news of the medical graduates.

1938 - no news of the medical graduates.

1939 - no news of the medical graduates.

1940 - no news of the medical graduates.

1941 - no news of the medical graduates.

1942 - no news of the medical graduates.

1943 - no news of the medical graduates.

1944 - no news of the medical graduates.

1945 - no news of the medical graduates.

1946 - Raffles College and KE VII College of Medicine closed during the Japanese Occupation. (Start of World War 2)

1946 - no news of the medical graduates.

1947 - Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and Dr. Siti Hasmah Ali graduated.

1948 - Raffles College and KE VII College of Medicine re-opened after the Japanese Occupation. (End of World War 2)

It cannot be ascertained when these following doctors graduated:

Tan Sri Dr. Abdul Majid
Tan Sri Dr. Abu Bakar
Tan Sri Dr. Raja Ahmad Nordin
Dr. Amir Abbas
Dr. Ungku Omar Ahmad
Dato' Dr. Haji Mohammed
Dr. Abdul Samad

It is 9.10 pm. I will stop here for some snack.

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Acknowledgement

NUSS website  http://www.nuss.org.sg or  http://www.nuss.org.sg/about_History_Frame.htm

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Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/rnd/~telehealth
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia