Temple Medical School to Patna Medical College: A History
“His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal has decided that a new Vernacular Medical School shall be established at Bankipore (Patna).
This new school will be on the same footing as “the Campbell School of Medicine” at Sealdah, except that tuition shall be in Urdu and not in Bengali.
The course of study will extend over three years, and it will embrace the various subjects of anatomy (including physiology) and surgery, chemistry and medical jurisprudence, materia medica and medicine, and midwifery.”
– The above notice, mailed to the Commissioner of Patna by the Secretary to Lt. Governor of Bengal, Sir Richard Temple, on 12 May 1874, formally started the Temple Medical School at Patna.
This was in 1873 that the Government of Bengal, on recommendation of the Principal of Calcutta Medical College, started considering establishment of Medical Schools at Dhaka, Sealdah and Patna to provide supporting staff to the doctors.
First we should understand the difference between a Medical College and a Medical School. Medical Colleges awarded a graduation degree in medicine & surgery (which is known as M.B.B.S now) while Medical Schools awarded Licentiate in Medical Practices (L.M.P or L.M.& S). Licentiates weren’t full fledged doctors and supposed to work as assistants of doctors. They weren’t eligible to take admission in M.D or M.S unlike the graduates of Medical Colleges.
Medical Colleges had a uniform curriculum governed by the Medical Council of India (before that they were governed from England) and awarded university degrees. Medical Schools weren’t governed through the Medical Council, thus no uniformity in curriculum and degrees weren’t from a university.
The Campbell Medical School, Sealdah started operating the same year in 1873 while Patna had to wait for a few more months. On 30 December 1873, Surgeon General, J. Campbell Brown, recommended to the government that a Medical School can be started at Bankipore dispensary, which had 50-60 beds, to impart medical teaching to 150 students in vernacular language.
Campbell wrote, “For the Patna school, that the sub-assistant surgeon in charge of the Bankipore Hospital should teach anatomy and surgery, and the sub-assistant surgeon in charge of the Patna Hospital materia medica and medicine. The new man, who is to have medical charge of the college, should teach chemistry and medical jurisprudence, and a fourth sub-assistant surgeon would teach midwifery and act as demonstrator of anatomy during the dissecting season. The first two would get Rs. 100 in addition to their grade pay which they already draw. The third would get the full pay of a teacher, the present college allowance of Rs. 100, which the civil surgeon draws, going to make it up. The fourth would be a young man and would have less onerous duties. He would probably be content with grade pay; if not, an extra allowance of Rs. 50 a month might be given. One assistant demonstrator should suffice.” The annual expenditure of the school was proposed to be Rs. 13,961.
On 12 May 1874, the Government of Bengal informed the Commissioner of Patna about her decision of establishing a Medical School at Bankipore. The official communication said, “The Bankipore Medical School will be on the same basis as the Campbell School of Medicine at Sealdah (except that the tuition is to be given in Hindustanee and not in Bengalee), and the students will consist of such number of qualified local residents as desire to avail themselves of this opportunity of tuition, and as can be provided with class accommodation.”
The students had to take preliminary examinations at the end of First and Second year and a final examination at the end of the third year. On successful completion of three years, they would be awarded a license to practice medicine. The students had to be charged Rs 2 at the time of the entrance, Rs 3 per month and Rs 10 while obtaining the license. Though, several fellowships were awarded to help meritorious students.
Apart from the medical subjects like medicine, anatomy, midwifery etc. “The civil candidates are examined in arithmetic as far as the rule-of-three, reading and dictation from Bagh-o-Bahar and Prem Sagar. The military students, received from the different dispensaries and hospitals, are examined in arithmetic, reading, and dictation from Bagh-o-Bahar and Prem Sagar, and as to their acquirements in pharmacy. Test examinations are held at the end of the first and second sessions, and the successful students, after undergoing the course of study in the third year, are, at the close of the session, examined for their diplomas by a committee appointed by Government consisting of the superintendent and another medical officer assisted by the teachers, and those found proficient are passed.”
The Temple Medical School soon became one of the most reputed Medical Schools in the British Indian Empire. In his report of 1878, the Surgeon-General spoke very highly of the assistants being produced from the Temple Medical School. The quality of instruction as well as of pupils was considered the best. Though, the number of students successfully completing the diploma was still low. In 1885, only 16 male students received the diploma, which was less than one-third of the total.
The doctors from the school rendered prominent services during the First World War (1914-1918). Authorities decided that the doctors should get basic military training in the medical school only. In 1921, a three month stretcher drilling and training course was introduced. A police official at Rs 10/month was hired to teach the students.
Meanwhile, Bihar and Orissa became a separate province from Bengal. The need was felt that the province should have a Medical College of its own. Demands were made during the decade of the 1910s. Sir Ali Imam, Sachchidanand Sinha, Sir Mohammad Fakhruddin, Sir Ganesh Dutta Singh and other pioneers of modern province of Bihar regularly campaigned for professional educational institutions, including Medical College, in Bihar. After the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1921-22 to India, the demand became more vigorous.
The Bihar Government under the dyarchy system at the behest of Fakhruddin, Education Minister, and Ganesh Dutta, Finance Minister, carried through the establishment of a Medical College replacing the Medical School at Patna in 1925. Thus, the Prince of Wales Medical College came into existence at Patna while the Medical School was shifted to Darbhanga.
The Medical College was officially opened on 25 February 1927 by Sir Henry Wheeler. Though the teaching had started before this. The General Medical Council had already reviewed the course being taught at the college in January 1927 and gave a favourable report.
The Viceroy, Lord Irwin, during his address on 15 November 1928 at the opening ceremony of the Science College, Patna, said, “The Prince of Wales Medical College was admitted to the University in 1925, and imparts instruction up to the examina- tion for the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery. The question of the recognition of the degrees granted to the successful students of this College by the General Medical Council of Great Britain was taken in hand in 1926. An inspection by the representatives of the General Medical Council was held in 1927, and we hope that our degrees will be recognised by the General Medical Council.”
It was also decided that the Provincial laboratory for pathological examinations would be developed as part of the college. Thus making it an important research institute at par with Calcutta Medical College right from the beginning.
One can gauge the fame of the institute by the fact that eminent radiologists and bacteriologists like Dr. Max Michel, who had to flee Hitler’s Germany in 1934, tried to start a laboratory at the Prince of Wales Medical College. It is another story that the British Government denied him the permission. But, the fact that within a decade of its establishment the hospital was attracting the scientists and doctors from advanced European nations should be highlighted.
In 1947, after India gained independence it was felt that the name associated with Prince of Wales should be changed. On 26 April 1952, during the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the Prince of Wales Medical College a resolution was passed by the Old Boys’ Association to effect the change of the name.
The resolution, proposed by Dr. N. P. Tripathi and seconded by Dr. S. S. Mahmood Shah, read, “The Old Boys’ Association on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee Celebration of the Prince of Wales Medical College resolve and recommend to the popular Government of Bihar to rename the Prince of Wales’ Medical College, as Rajendra Medical College, thereby perpetuating the gratitude of the people of Bihar for the Priceless Services rendered to this State and to the rest of India by Deshratan Rajendra Prasad in the winning of Indian Freedom.”
The resolution was forwarded to the President Rajendra Prasad by K. N. Bahl, Vice Chancellor of Patna University, on 29 September 1952.
On 1 September 1953, Rajendra Prasad wrote to the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, “Some time ago the Syndicate of the University passed a resolution that the name of the Patna Prince of Wales Medical College be changed and that it should be named after me. I had received a request that I should consent to it and he (Vice Chancellor) came to press that request. Personally I have felt some hesitation for two reasons: I do not like that a name which has been given to an institution should be changed. It means some kind of discourtesy to the person after whom the institution was originally named, whether he is dead or alive. There is in the second place the question whether the name of the President should be associated with an old institution which has been existing a long time and which has been already bearing another name.”
Nehru replied to Prasad, “I do not like changing of names of old institutions except when this is necessary. I confess that names such as Prince of Wales or King George are not very appropriate and should be changed. But, in changing them, it would be preferable not to have a personal name…. I would prefer the Patna Medical College to have some neutral and impersonal name, whatever is considered suitable. I do not think it is any special honour to you for your name to be attached to it.
Having said all this, I would add that I do not think there is any particular objection to the change suggested, that is, your name being associated. Only I do not think it is very fitting to do so in all the circumstances.”
Rajendra Prasad replied to the University authorities on 6 September 1953 that the College should not be named after him, or any person who had no association with the College. He suggested that the College should be renamed as Bihar Medical College or simply, Patna Medical College. The name would not change for some more years but today the College is known by the name given by the President – The Patna Medical College and Hospital.
In its 150 years of history which began as the Temple Medical School in 1874, the institution has served the country and Bihar. Its contribution to research in the field of different bacterial diseases should be written in golden words.
