SETH G.S.MEDICAL COLLEGE MUMBAI

Modern medicine was introduced to India by the Europeans. With the foundation of the Grant Medical College in Bombay in 1845 the 'native citizens' of the presidency were given an opportunity to study western medicine from some outstanding teachers. The college soon gained a world-wide reputation and its founder-principal, Dr Charles Morehead, was invited to help the University of London in formulating its programme for medical education.

Towards the end of the century the old order represented by Sir Robert Grant, Dr Charles Morehead and Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy was replaced by officers of the Indian Medical Service (IMS) who, far from encouraging the best talent of the college, maintained their hold on the prestigious professorial posts. After much hesitation, a few non-clinical professorial posts were opened to non-IMS Indians and Dr Y. G. Nadgir was the first to be appointed to a chair (Anatomy). The fact that an IMS ' officer would be professor ofmateria medica one year and teach obstetrics and gynaecology the next underlined the unwillingness of the authorities to give opportunities to capable Indians.

Nationalist Indians strove to correct this imbalance. Among them was Dr K. N. Bahadurji, the first Indian to obtain the coveted M.D. degree of the University of London. When he was denied the post of Professor of Medicine at the Grant Medical College (an IMS officer holding only the Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians diploma (LRCP) being appointed instead) he advocated the establishment of a new medical college, staffed by Indians, that would break the monopoly of the IMS. He placed the idea before Sir Pherozshah Mehta - the lion of Bombay - and other members of the Bombay Municipal Corporation. Dr Bahadurji died on 15 August 1898 before his plans could materialize.

GENESIS AND FOUNDATION In 1907, under the Police Charges Act, the work of medical relief within the city of Bombay was entrusted to the Municipal Corporation. In 1909, an ad hoc committee of the corporation decided that 'the time had come for the Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College in 1925 Photo by Keshav M. Godhia to be associated with the proposed hospital. At the instance of Sir Pherozshah Mehta, the donors also insisted \ that the professors and teachers to be employed should I all be properly qualified independent Indian gentlemen I not in government service. The Municipality approached the Bombay Medical Union for a detailed scheme for the organization of the medical college and hospital. Dr. Jivraj Mehta, just returned from London after obtaining an M.D.degree, was approached by the union. He suggested a radical departure from the traditional design of teaching hospitals in India where isolated blocks housed separate departments. Dr. Mehta proposed that the entire medical college be housed in one large building and the hospital (including the out-patient block) in a separate building. This would facilitate co-ordination between the various departments. The two buildings were to be interconnected by covered corridors so that patients, students and staff could easily go from one building to another during heavy monsoon rains. (The Seth G.S.Medical College and K.E.M. Hospital were the first multistoreyed institutions of their kind. The K.E.M. Hospital was the first Indian hospital housing the out-patient department within the main hospital building).

The plans were submitted to W.A.Pite who had designed the Kings College Hospital in London and was then a leading authority on hospital construction. The local architect was G.Wittet. In those days it was thought that if an architect happened to be an Englishman, he was not only a fit person to draw up plans for a hospital but also to select its equipment. Wittet drew up a long list of equipment to be imported from England, including even ordinary beds for the wards, lockers and mobile screens.

The equipment committee (consisting of Dr Rustom Cooper, Dr P.T.Patel and Col.Hamilton) insisted on obtaining most items from Bombay. Wittet strongly expressed his resentment but was disregarded. When the hospital and the college were formally inaugurated on 22 January 1926, Wittet was presented a gold cigarette cas 5* by the Governor of Bombay, Sir Leslie Orme Wilson, in appreciation of his services. In the very first week, however, a large piece of the plastered ceiling of the operation theatre came down and within the first fortnight, the tiled floor cracked! The total cost of construction of the hospital was Rs.2,527,699 and that of the college Rs 1,364,574.

In making the first appointments to the staff, the Municipal Corporation was largely guided by Dr G. V. Deshmukha very active member of the corporation and also a big noise in the profession (Cooper). Dr Jivraj Mehta was elected Dean of the college and hospital. The first batch of teachers included Dr.M.D.D.Gilder, Dr P.C.Bharucha, Dr A.S.Erulkar, Dr P. T. Patel, Dr G. V. Deshmukh, Dr.R.N.Cooper, Dr V.L.Parmar, Dr.N.A. Purandare, DrV.R.Khanolkar and DrB.B.Yodh,who, according to Dr Jivraj Mehta, were individuals of the highest capability and deepest integrity. There was a great bond of striving towards a common aim - ensuring a brilliant success for these institutions. Remember, these were the first medical institutions in the country staffed by Indians at the professorial and other levels and there was a great sense of pride in all of us.