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| Wednesday, 17 November 2004 |
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Honouring the memory of a great teacher In the history of physiology in Sri Lanka Professor Arthur Cecil Elsley Koch (1903-1969) figures on a splendid peak. He was the first native citizen of this country to hold the post of Professor of Physiology in Sri Lanka's oldest medical school. Koch was a Dutch Burgher. The uninitiated may wonder how a Dutch Burgher became a native of this country and went on to become the first Professor of Physiology in the only medical school in the country at that time. A brief historical glance will explain how and why that happened. Recall that the Dutch ruled the maritime part of Sri Lanka from 1656 to 1796 before they were ousted by the British. Their most important contribution to the advancement of Western medicine in this country was perhaps the role their lineal descendants played during the British period (1796-1948). The Colombo Medical School (now the Medical Faculty of the University of Colombo) began in 1870. Its first three principals were all drawn from the microscopic Burgher community. How come? Was some jiggery-pockery at work? In his comprehensive book called 'History of Medicine in Sri Lanka', Dr. C. G. Uragoda provides the definitive answer. In those days when western medicine was not demonstrably more effective than indigenous medicine, the Sinhalese and Tamils by and large continued to put their faith in their traditional systems of medicine. The Burghers by virtue of their Western cultural outlook, preferred Western medicine to the indigenous varieties. Moreover at that time Western medicine had not become the major industry and goldmine it has manifestly become today. So in those days the ablest young men in search of rapid upward social mobility went for the prestigious Ceylon Civil Service. There was another reason why Western medicine came easily to Burghers. The medium of instruction for the teaching of Western medicine was English. This made it much more accessible to Burghers. Thus it is clear that the Dutch Burgher A. C. F. Koch came to be the first native Professor of Physiology in our country purely because of his intelligence, hard work and natural advantages. There was no favouritism whatsoever. Singalese (sic) When Professor Koch died in 1969 Professor C. C. de Silva, the founder Professor of Paediatrics in the Colombo Medical School wrote an obituary which appeared in the 'British Medical Journal'. In it he said that Koch was the first Singalese (sic) to hold the post of Professor of Physiology and the first Singalese (sic) to be elected a member of the Physiological Society of Great Britain. Professor C. C. de Silva was in full possession of all his faculties when he wrote that obituary. The interesting question is why he chose to call the Dutch Burgher Koch a Singalese (sic) not once but twice in the same sentence. As it happened. Koch was one of his greatest friends and to him Koch must have been like flesh of his flesh and blood of his blood. Professor C. C. de Silva was a Sinhalese who was capable of comprehending intellectually and accepting emotionally the fact that for all our differences in appearance, colour, language, religion and customs, all humans are members of one great family, even as the Buddha had realised and preached in the 6th century B.C. In my younger days, I used to rather despise those who didn't feel like the Buddha on this matter. Now I only pity them. Given our relationship with the great apes some people can't help being less evolved and less enlightened than the Buddha and therefore having ape-like tendencies. In their present births. But they should not behave like apes in the name of the Buddha. Kith and kin To Professor Koch the Dutch Burgher, all members of his department were like his kith and kin. Here is what Valentine Basnayake (then reading for his D. Phil at Oxford), wrote to Koch when he was appointed to the Chair in Physiology in 1952): "It gave me great satisfaction and happiness to hear of your appointment both for your sake and ours. It will be a great pleasure to work under you and in spite of the fulness of Oxford life. I look forward to it. I wish you all success and believe that the best days of the Physiology Department in Ceylon have just dawned under its first Ceylonese head." His words proved prophetic. Speaking for myself, one factor that strongly motivate me to join the Department of Physiology after graduation was the fact that - to us a double superlative - the most kindest teacher I had encountered in the Colombo Medical School in my time - Professor Koch - headed that department. Such was the magnetic power of the man the Physiological Society is honouring 35 years after his death. Coming to do the honours all the way from the University of California is Professor C. T. Kappagoda, one of the most illustrious pupils that Professor Koch ever taught. His curriculum vitae is simply too long to summarise meaningfully here. He will speak on an aspect of Respiratory Physiology which was Professor Koch's own field of special interest. Those who wish to participate in a ritual of one of Sri Lanka's most distinguished medical scientists honouring the memory of one of Sri Lanka's most loved medical teachers are most welcome to the auditorium of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, Vidya Mawatha, Colombo 7 on November 20 at 6.30 p.m. Professor Carlo Fonseka. |
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