Singapore's Medical History

"My Busy Body Corner" blog written in 2010 provides an account of Singapore's old medical, dental and nursing buildings, and what happened to them.

Source: http://mybusybodycorner.blogspot.com/2010/05/outram-campus-heritage-trail.html

Betel nut vs Areca nut | Sirih pinang | Sirih junjung | Tepak sirih (Part 1)

1. BETEL VINE & LEAVES

The betel vine (pokok sirih) is a hardy vine with dark green leaves (daun sireh) shaped like hearts. The leaves are often confused with that of the pepper vine (pokok lada hitam). The leaves are crushed in water and the water is used as antiseptic for cleaning skin infections and grazes, and usually for cleaning the private parts following maternal delivery (giving birth) in addition to salt soaks. The leaves are also used in making a wedding gift (sirih junjung) to mark a virgin bride (anak dara). Without the sirih junjung, it is generally taken that the bride is not a virgin (bukan anak dara).

Sireh emas or the golden betel vine with young betel leaves (light green). This variety has red stems and is prized for its bactericidal properties. The leaves are either chewed as a pastime or offered to visitors to chew. The leaves are crushed in water and used for bathing to cleanse the skin and private parts following maternal delivery (mandi selepas bersalin). This betel vine was photographed in the author's backyard. Courtesy of Faridah Abdul Rashid,

Uses of daun sireh

http://xamthoneplus.biz/obat/manfaat-daun-sirih/

2. ARECA PALM & NUT

The areca palm grows quite easily in dry sandy soil, not necessarily by the sea or on seaside lands. It is a tall palm with smaller and shorter fronds than the coconut  palm/tree or the date palm. The areca fruit is small like the size of an individual oil palm fruit. Unlike the oil palm fruit, the areca fruit does not grow in clusters. Like the coconuts and dates, the areca fruit appears as a single fruit on an individual stalk, and many stalks are attached to a bigger bunch. One bunch may contain 4-6 areca fruits. The areca nut is a smooth nut inside a stiff shell after dehusking (removal of the stiff fibres). When cut, the cross-section is a mosaic of white flesh and red-maroon streaks. I have not tasted the areca nut so I cannot tell you what it tastes like.

Areca palm with areca fruit in bunches (foreground). A laichi tree appears in the background. These trees were photographed in the author's garden at home. Courtesy of Faridah Abdul Rashid,

Buah pinang for which Penang was named. This is the areca fruit, inside it is the areca nut.

Dehusked areca nut

Areca nut after dehusking

Usage in the literature and frame of reference

Old books written during British colonialism in Malaya had used the term betel nut producer or trader, which I think should be corrected in books published today. The term "betel nut" is incorrect and a misnomer. The correct terms are "areca nut" and "betel leaves".

Trade commodity

In early trade within the Malay states and extending to her neighbours, the islands of Sumatra and the Philippines, the Indian subcontinent, countries surrounding the Indian Ocean, and countries of  Indo-China, there was one commodity that stood high above all others, that was, betel nut (more correctly, areca nut). 

Habitual eating

The areca nut is sliced thinly and wrapped in betel leaves, along with a dab of slake lime and sometimes with added tobacco and spices for added taste. Most communities eat it daily and serve it to visitors in a specific tray called tepak sireh. Refusing to eat it when it is served is not an offense. 

Icon of Malay weddings

The tepak sireh is now used as a wedding icon on modern Malay wedding invitation cards. However, it should be noted that the bronze tepak sireh is found is many countries where the Hindu faith once dominated. It is not solely Malay and should not indicate Malayness.

Habitual eating, health and undesirable effects

The folks who occasionally chewed areca nut and betel leaves generally have good oral health. However, prolonged use have been connected to oral cancers.  As I recall in Penang General Hospital circa 1976, one oral cancer case was so severe that an afflicted elderly Indian lady was crying in pain even while she was waiting in the hospital lobby for the nurse to call her name. It was very sad just watching her cry in pain and in vain. From my mother's experience having watched her father tendered to Indian patients, she said that the Indian lady's case was a terminal one. I don't know what became of that Indian lady.

Useful pages on areca nut:

http://www.goldenagro.com/image/betelnut/index.htm (many good photos)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Areca_nut

British Colonialism and the Pith Helmet

British Colonialism dominated Malaya (Tanah Melayu) in 1856. The most striking outfit as we look back at British Colonialism is British clothes. For the early Malay doctors, some wore pith helmets. 

The pith helmet (also known as the safari helmet, sun helmet, topee, sola topee, salacot or topi) is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of cork or pith (typically pith from the sola, Aeschynomene aspera, an Indian swamp plant, or A. paludosa, or a similar plant). Designed to shade the wearer's head and face from the sun, pith helmets were once often worn by Westerners in the tropics, but have also been used in other contexts. Source: Wikipedia.

In three B/W photos taken during the flood that hit Kelantan circa 1914/15, the British doctors wore pith helmets as they went about their daily work either in sampan or horse carriage (courtesy of Muzium Kelantan; photos are not shown here).

In a B/W portrait of Dr Husin bin Mohamed circa 1916, he wore a pith helmet (courtesy of his children; photo is not shown here).

There maybe other photos of the early Malay doctors sporting pith helmets as part of their formal doctor's white uniform.

Kempeitai

Why was the Kempeitai feared?
Why did the Kempeitai recruit Malays?

The Kempeitai (憲兵隊^?, "Corps of Law Soldiers") was the military police arm of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1881 to 1945. It was not an English-style military police, but a French-style gendarmerie. 

The Kempeitai was much feared as it could execute any "wrong-doers" .

The Kempeitai was disbanded (dibubarkan) in August 1945.

Japanese book "Showa History Vol.7: February 26 Incident" published by Mainichi Newspapers Company. 1935

Further reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kempeitai
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Army_Uniforms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Military_uniforms
http://www.bookmice.net/darkchilde/japan/kem.html
Wong Heng, http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_79_2005-02-02.html
http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/K/e/Kempeitai.htm

Penang General Hospital / Penang GH

Driving directions to Hospital Pulau Pinang (suggested routes)

From Kg Doddol, Jalan Perak, Jelutong, Penang to Hospital P Pinang (3.5 km, 6 mins)
In Kg Dodol, head south on Solok Free School toward Jalan Free School (29 m)
Turn left at Jalan Free School (400 m)
Turn left at Jalan Perak (1.8 km)
Follow slight left to stay on Jalan Perak (1.8 km)
Continue (left) onto Jalan Macalister (650 m)
Continue onto Jalan Residensi (450 m)
Turn left at Jalan Hospital (100 m)

Overhead bridge of Penang General Hospital

Main block of Penang General Hospital

A cenotaph has been constructed to commemorated the donors for various portions of Penang General Hospital, which initially was the Pauper's Hospital (a hospital for poor patients) and prior to that the Industrial Shed.

Messrs Oh Yean Heng and Gan Kim Swee are the donors
in constructing the surrounding walls and a ward of this hospital.
The site of this hospital was the gift of the Gee Hin Society.
The Industrial Shed was presented by HM the King of Siam on 24 May 1890.
[Note: More on biography of Messrs Oh Yean Heng and history of Penang General Hospital
is provided by Raymond Boon at his blog]

Cenotaph and main block of Penang General Hospital 

Cenotaph in the parking lot

Industrial Shed presented by His Majesty The King of Siam, May 24th 1890

Donors

The Toa Peh Kong Kongsee
The Chee Hing Kongsee
Tan Beng Swee
Mess Noordin & Shaik Yousoof
Chulam Meydin Merican
Dalbadal & Yahayah Merican
Pah Etam Kadir Hossain

Mahamed Joonos & Mahamed Ariff

[Note: Mahamed Joonos and Mahamed Ariff were the parents of 2 early Malay doctors]

Meerah Pullay Kakah & Che Ismail
Shaik Ibram & Mahamed Fahar
Cauder Meydin & B Kader Saw
[Note: Cauder Meydin was the founder of Masjid Kapitan Kling]
Shaik Ismail & Mahamed Hassan
Aboosti Merican & Coopah Peechay
Shaik Emam
Chalong Hajee Mahamed Noor

Abdul Cauder Merican

Mahamed Allee & Mahamed Noordin
Sultan Merican
Keechee Mahamed Shariff
Mahamed Chous Malim
Muna Mastan & Hajee Aboo Bakar

1879

Donors

Mahamed Amin & Mahamed Meydin
Peer Mahamed & Sancardoss
Chandapa & Ong Hong Guan
Shaik Jan & Madar Daw

Pakir

[Query: Could this name refer to Pakir Mydin, the Sumatran betel leaves & areca nut tycoon?]
Malik?

1879

See more, read more at:
Timothy Tye's Penang General Hospital
Raymond Boon's Penang General Hospital

Early Medical Programmes and Degrees Conferred in Singapore and Malaysia 1905-1960

Information to construct the following table on the early medical programmes and degrees conferred by Singapore and Malaysia were obtained by interviewing two KE VII medical graduates, Tan Sri Dr Raja Ahmad Noordin bin Raja Shahbuddin (Class of 1956) and Tan Sri Dr Abdul Majid bin Ismail (Class of 1950). The interviews were held separately in May 2007. Tan Sri Dr Raja Ahmad Noordin was interviewed at home in Petaling Jaya while Tan Sri Dr Abdul Majid was interviewed in his office in Jalan Damai, Kuala Lumpur.

Early Medical Programmes and Degrees Conferred in Singapore and Malaysia 1905-1960

Year	Name of Medical School / Event	Duration of Study	Degree Conferred
1905	Straits Settlement and Federated Malay States Government Medical School	5 years	LMS
1913	King Edward VII Medical School (KE VII Medical School)	5 years	LMS
1921	King Edward VII College of Medicine (KE VII College of Medicine)	5 years	LMS
1923	King Edward VII College of Medicine (KE VII College of Medicine)	6 years	LMS
1939	Merger of King Edward VII College of Medicine with Raffles College of Arts and Science into a university college	6 years	LMS
1942	College of Medicine ceased operation due to Japanese Occupation during WWII	ceased
1943	Marei Ika Daigaku or Syonan Medical College operated in Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Medium of instruction was Japanese.	resumed
1944	Syonan Medical College operated in Malacca General Hospital (ended in 1945). Medium of instruction was Japanese.	shifted
1946	King Edward VII College of Medicine reopened in postwar Singapore	resumed as normal
1949	Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya was established in Singapore	faculty-based teaching
1950	First batch of postwar graduands attended convocation without their pre-ordered graduation gowns due to late delivery. First batch to receive MBBS instead of LMS. Still in Singapore.	10 years (lost 5 years to war)	MBBS UM (S’pore)
1951	Second batch of postwar graduands attended convocation with their graduation gowns,  the first time the gowns were used	5 years	MBBS UM (S’pore)
1960	Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya operated in KL campus	5 years	MBBS UM (KL)

 LMS = Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery; KE VII = King Edward VII


Citation: Early Medical Programmes and Degrees Conferred in Singapore and Malaysia 1905-1960. The Early Malay Doctors, 2011, Faridah Abdul Rashid, online blog

Hospital Bangsar / Bangsar Hospital / European Hospital

The European Hospital in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur was also known as the Bangsar Hospital by the locals. The buildings have been demolished to make way for the Public Health Institute (PHI).

Since two people have asked for photos of "Bangsar Hospital" so far, I have created this post to cater to those needs and for many more who will need the same photos.

I had obtained information about Hospital Bangsar from Tan Sri Dr Abdul Majid bin Ismail, the second Director-General of Health Malaysia when I interviewed him at his office in May 2007. 

The photos of Hospital Bangsar in this post are from Mr Arasu who obtained them recently from Arkib Negara Malaysia (Malaysian National Archives) in Kuala Lumpur. More photos are in his Facebook account. Link to Arasu in Facebook. You may want to get more photos from Arkib Negara. Arasu is planning on a reunion for everyone who had been involved with Hospital Bangsar.

For captions to these photos, please join Arasu's Facebook as he has described them all. He has lived on the grounds of this hospital as his father was once a gardener there.

EUROPEAN HOSPITAL / BANGSAR HOSPITAL in KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

These photos of the hospital are from the Malaysian National Archives.

I got them from Arasu in Facebook, who obtained them from the Archives.

Photos courtesy of Arkib Negara Malaysia.

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is an affiliate of the University of London. It was established in 1899 as the London School of Tropical Medicine. It became a Royal Charter and was renamed the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1924.

1924 - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine established by Royal Charter
1899 - London School of Tropical Medicine

LSHTM main entrance

Picture of Malet Street thanks to Wikipedia:Secretlondon from Wikimedia Commons and Ookaboo!

Most doctors continued to do their postgraduate studies at the LSHTM as Malaya (now Malaysia) is regarded a "tropical" country when it is actually a little north of the equator.

Diseases of the tropics are plenty and these have been studied and continue to be studied at the LSHTM. 

After passing exams conducted by the LSHTM, doctors obtained their first postgraduate degree, i.e., Diploma in Public Health (DPH). The duration of study was approximately two years.


Malaya had sent its students to the LSHTM from 1950 onward. The first student who received the Queens' Scholarship to do postgraduate studies at LSHTM was (Tan Sri) Dr Abdul Majid bin Ismail, who became the second Director-General of Health Malaysia.


LSHTM contact address:
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, 

Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7636 8636Location: Bloomsbury, London, WC1, UK

Photo source & credit:

LSHTM
Wikipedia

Other information:

Bloomsbury
Archive: University of London Student Records (1836-1930)

Checking historical data of the University of London Archive

For verification of dates of passing postgraduate exams such as conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), I had to e-mail the LSHTM and request assistance since I cannot go to London for many reasons (teaching mostly). 

Now, some of the documents are available online and it is worth sifting through the archived data of the University of London to find if there were those whose names were missed in the December 2010 search.

An advantage for searching is to know how the names of the early Malay doctors were spelled, and the approximate year they were at the LSHTM.

Even though data is accessible online by the public under the Freedom of Information Act, some data sets have an 85-year data protection which means I cannot check these particular data sets online. Some data are only accessible if the student or person involved has died.

I e-mailed the LSHTM for assistance and mentioned the urgency. LSHTM was helpful and had responded positively for a search I requested for all the early Malay doctors who could have done postgraduate studies at the LSHTM between 1950 and 1957. A response to assist was received immediately by e-mail just prior to Christmas 2010. By New Year 2011, I had the list of the early Malay doctors who had done their postgraduate studies at the LSHTM.

The Summary Guide for searching the University of London archives is here:
http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/resources/Summaryguide.pdf

King Edward VII of England

King Edward VII

King Edward VII College of Medicine building in Singapore

Photo credits, snapshots and links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/
http://www.nus.edu.sg/

Milestones of the Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya 1949-1983

1948	-1960 – Malayan Emergency
1948	Ulu Yam Massacre by the British in Selangor
1949	University Malaya was formed by merger of KE VII College of Medicine and Raffles College.
1949	College of Medicine became the Faculty of Medicine when University Malaya was established in Singapore.
1950	University Malaya confers its first Degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) on 17 graduates. Dr Abdul Majid bin Ismail @ Coco was in this first batch.
1950	Queen’s Scholarship was introduced for KE VII graduates to pursue postgraduate studies at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Natrah Incidence (Peristiwa Natrah). Natrah was Maria Hertogh (13), a Dutch girl born in Bandung who married Mansur Adabi (22). Dr Ahmad Ibrahim presided over the heart-breaking case that ensued. He is the son of Dr Mohamed Ibrahim bin Sheikh Ismail, an early Malay doctor (1892-1962).
1952	Construction of a 2-storey building behind the Tan Teck Guan Building for classrooms and labs.
1953	Housemanship was introduced.
1957	Department of Pharmacy, UM Singapore offered its first 3-year course.
1957	31 August – The Federation of Malaya was formed. This was the Malayan Independence or Merdeka. There were 53 Malay doctors with either LMS or MBBS medical degrees. LMS was issued from 1910 to 1949. MBBS was issued from 1950 onward.
1959	University Malaya became 2 autonomous divisions at 2 campuses, one in Singapore and another in Kuala Lumpur. The Faculty of Medicine operated as the Faculty of Medicine of UM in Singapore. An early Malay doctor, Dr Abdul Majid bin Ismail was Council Member of the University Malaya from 1 January 1959-14 May 1987.
1961	Set up of the Postgraduate Medical Studies Committee.
1962	The Singapore division became the University of Singapore and the Kuala Lumpur division became University Malaya. Prof T Danaraj became the first Dean of the medical faculty at University Malaya in KL.
1963	16 September – The Federation of Malaya became a larger country geographically when Malaya, Singapore, Sabah & Sarawak combined to form Malaysia. Malaysia had 2 big sister universities, one in Singapore and the other in KL.
1965	Singapore became an independent Republic of Singapore on 9 August 1965. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Singapore was formed in August 1965. Anwar Ibrahim was the Chief Protocol Officer at MFA Singapore. He was the son of Dr Mohamed Ibrahim bin Sheikh Ismail (1892-1962), an early Malay doctor.
1967	Professor Christiaan Neethling Barnard performed the first human heart transplant on 3 December 1967.
1969	School of Postgraduate Medical Studies was formed.
1969	13 May – riots (also referred to as the 13 May Incidences).  The riots occurred in Kuala Lumpur following the results of the election held then. Though political, the actual trigger of the riots remains unknown. A dark moment in Malaysia's history. The Deputy Prime Minister, also an early Malay doctor, Tun Dr Ismail (1915-1973) delivered his address to calm the nation and halt further bloodshed. The killings stopped and Malaysians continued to live as one.
1983	Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) was officially opened by KDYMM Al-Sultan Kelantan Sultan Ismail Petra on 26 August 1983.

Citation: Milestones of the Faculty of Medicine - UM 1949-1983, The Early Malay Doctors, 2011, Faridah Abdul Rashid, online blog

Milestones of the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore 1905-1948

1905	The Straits Settlement and Federated Malay States Government Medical School was established at Sepoy Lines in Singapore. It offered a full-time 5-year medical course to train doctors in medicine, surgery and midwifery.
1910	The pioneering class of 7 male doctors graduated from the Medical School with a Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS).
1911	The Tan Teck Guan Building opened. It housed a lecture theatre, a library and a museum.
1912	The first Professorial Chair of Physiology was established at the Medical School.
1913	The Medical School was renamed King Edward VII Medical School when it received an endowment by the King Edward VII Memorial Foundation.
1913	-1917 WW1
1916	The General Medical Council (GMC) of Great Britain recognizes the LMS and medical graduates were registered in the British Medical Register.
1917	Rumah Sakit Daerah was established in Kuala Krai, Kelantan.
1920	The London School of Tropical Medicine and Hospital for Tropical Diseases moved to Endsleigh Gardens in central London.
1921	The Athlone Committee created and named the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
1921	The Medical School in Singapore was renamed King Edward VII College of Medicine as it offered tertiary education.
1923	The KE VII medical course became a 6-year course.
1924	The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) was made a Royal Charter
1926	The 3-storey College Building with Doric columns opens.
1927	The Dispensary was established in Kota Bharu, Kelantan by Dr Ali Othman Merican & Shaik Hussein Othman Merican (father of veteran athlete Tamin Merican)
1929	/1930 – 7 dental students were accepted by the Department of Dentistry for a 4-year course.
1930	Rumah Sakit Umum was established in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
1930	The Great Depression in USA.
1939	The McLean Commission on Higher Education proposed the merger of the Medical College with the Raffles College of Arts and Sciences into a university college.
1941	-1945 WW2 (The Japanese Occupation in Malaya)
1942	College of Medicine ceased operation.
1943	The Japanese Military Administration established the Marei Ika Daigaku or Syonan Medical College at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
1944	Syonan Medical College was shifted to Malacca General Hospital and it ended at the end of WW2. The Japanese used Maktab Perguruan Perempuan Melayu Melaka as their HQ.
1945	WW2 ended; Formation of Malayan Union; British Reoccupation. The Malays opposed the Malayan Union.
1946	College of Medicine reopened in the postwar period and ~200 students resumed medical studies at KE VII.
1948	The Carr-Saunders Commission proposed the formation of a university.
1948	GPMS was formed at KE VII, Singapore.

Citation: Milestones of KE VII, The Early Malay Doctors, Faridah Abdul Rashid, 2011 online blog
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