Every family had its own doctor - there were no 5* hospitals vying with 5* hotels for ambience. The doctor's room measured 10 ft x 10 ft. He had a thermometer, stethescope, a wooden hammer and occasionaly the BP instrument. He used to keep one thumb on the abdomen and strike over it with the other thumb. That was the acoustic penetration test to see if the intestine, liver and kidneys were in tact. He used to strike the knee with the wooden hammer and sense the reaction of the patient.
The dispensation was always packets of some powder and a mixture (yellowish brown or rose in color). My most favorite treatment at the doctor's was the "throat touch". When you had sore throat, the throat was painted with a pinkish liquid - the liquid tasted sour and soothing. Alas the liquid has disappeared - was it called the Mandel solution or something sounding similar.
Wow, these must have been the days of RMPs, right?
ReplyDeleteDid doctors also have "compounders" who compounded these medicines for them? Also, did pharmacies exist as separate businesses, they way they do now?
If by RMP you mean Registered Medical Practitioner - answer is YES.
ReplyDeleteThey had a degree called LIM and another called LMP, both considered a notch below MBBS. But these people were very practical and more holistic. The LIM people were exposed to both allopathic and ayurvedic systems. Specialization has wreaked havoc with medicare. It has given rise to confessional phrases such as "allergy", "side effect" and so on.
Definitely, every doctor's clinic had a compounder who would pack the powder, who would stick a graduated paper outside the mixture bottle - to swallow the prescribed dose. He will also sterilize the syringes and needles (disposable needles and syringes were unknown)by boiling them in a vessel. Last but not the least he will collect the fees for consultation and medicines. Some patients had credit accounts with the doctor. The compounder will visit such houses in the first week of the month to collect the accumulated dues.
Pharmacies did exist - few and far between where one bought Amrutanjan, Health tonics, Woodward's Gripe Water for babies, cotton etc. One particular health tonic called Ferradol was very popular because government employees used to buy it avidly -it was eligible for reimbursement and it was a cost-free substitute for marmalede or jam with bread !!
Re: Ferradol - substitute for jam?? Incredible. When i was child, I had a fascination for medication especially tonics, and would polish off bottles left in my reach. Tonics were always stored in locked cupboards to keep me from getting to them.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite was an ayurvedic tonic called Alfalfa. Lovely stuff.