Appreciations

Our Father of Medicine is no more. Yes, Professor R. S. Thanabalasundrum was the father of medicine for many of us who studied under him at the North Colombo Medical College (NCMC). This eminent and humble physician who served humanity for over half a century left us on November 15.

The only true medical statistic seems to be that there is one death for every human being! Facing death, of course would not have been challenging to him, for here was a man who knew death very well; for he was a man who gave life to beings with feeble pulse. Professor Thanabalasundrum was a humane person. He practised medicine for the pure love of science and humanity. This he did passionately almost until the very day he passed away.

I recall following this great man during my professorial ward rounds, absorbing not only his astute words of medicine, but also his dialect in between the lines. I distinctly recall him pointing at a patient in the Ragama Hospital and saying that this was an example of ‘man’s inhumanity to man’. It was a phrase he often used.

I guess that was a patient with poisoning. He checked our wits and directed us to see patients as complete human beings, not merely as a body, but as one with a mind of his/her own. For him every person was, not just a ‘case’, not just even a man or a woman, it was a father, a mother, a daughter or a son. His bedside manners were exemplary. He relied more on clinical judgment than sophisticated technology to diagnose disease.

I consider it a privilege to have done my last medical appointment as a student with him (as well as my first with Dr. Nonis, an equally learned physician). Professor Thanabalasundrum was a brilliant alumnus of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ceylon who graduated with First Class honours. Though he went onto specialize in Medicine, he knew every aspect of the healing art. It was indeed a rare achievement, especially six decades ago, for any medical student to obtain distinctions in all his final year subjects. Young Thanabalasundrum did this with ease. He got distinctions in Medicine, Surgery and Gynaecology & Obstetrics. His postgraduate performance in England was no less a success.

His love for his motherland was also one for emulation for young Sri Lankan doctors of today. After being conferred the Fellowship by the Royal College of Physicians in England he came back home promptly to serve his people.

Professor Thanabalasundrum was considered one of the youngest Consultant Physicians who served Ceylon in the mid 1940's. Among the hospitals he served were the General Hospitals of Jaffna and Colombo and the Teaching Hospital, Ragama. Thanks to the insight of other eminent professionals such as Dr. Heennileme, Dr. Ratnavale and Dr. Aloysius of the NCMC, he became the Professor of Medicine of the North Colombo Medical College in 1985. The loyalty of Prof. Vishvanathan, Competent Authority of NCMC after it was nationalized and the foresight of Prof. Carlo Fonseka, the first Dean was instrumental in Professor Thanabalasundrum continuing at NCMC, Ragama till 1995, even after the process of change from NCMC to the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya had begun.

During his medical life, Professor Thanabalasundrum has cared for people from all walks of life; from pauper to president. In 1998, he received the honour of Deshabandu by the President of Sri Lanka in recognition of his mammoth service to the nation. I would like to suggest to the alumni of the North Colombo Medical College to let us get together and help establish a ‘Professor Thanabalasundrum Memorial Scholarship’ at the Kelaniya Medical Faculty. Let us try to partially cover the educational expenses of needy students during their five-year career in Ragama.

The Father of Medicine is no more