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CoMSAA Newsletter - January 2013
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email from Sunil Liyanage

Sunil Liyanage	19:32 (10 hours ago)
to Sunil

2013 Friendship Contract renewal After serious & cautious consideration... your contract of friendship has been renewed for the New Year 2013! It was a very hard decision to make... So try not to screw it up!!! My Wish for You in 2013 May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts.    May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for notes of 1000 rupees, dollars or pounds  depending as to where you live.    May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!   May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy   May the problems you had, forget your home address!    In simple words ............   May 2013 be the best year of your life!!   Cheers! Sunil

To all the readers of this blog,

We wish you a

Happy and Prosperous

New Year 2013.

email sent by Dr,Dennis Aloysius

Subject: Western Medicine in Sri Lanka

Hospital in Manipay, Ceylon 1847

Dr. Samuel Fisk Green was born in Green Hills, Worcester, Massachusetts in 1822. To his father William E Green and mother Julia

Plimpton, he was the 8th child of 11 children. After his schooling he was attracted to religion. In 1841 he went toNew York and took employment Protestant Episcopal Board of Missions. During this period he got interested in medical profession and gave up his employment and joined as a student in medicine. He graduated in 1845. In 1846, he offered himself to serve in American Mission and joined a team of missionaries as a missionary physician to go toCeylon (now Sri Lanka).

American Medical Missionary, Dr. Green's First Hospital in Manipay, 1847, Jaffna, Ceylon.

...Dr. P.D. Anthonisz (1822-1903) of Galle, Ceylon was the first Ceylonese to obtain the M.R.C.P. (Membership of the Royal College of Physicians London) and F.R.C.S. (Fellow of The Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh). In 1839 the first batch of five medical students including P.D. Anthonisz from Ceylon was sent to Calcutta (Bengal Medical College) at government expense. As a medical doctor he was paid a salary of 85 British pounds a year!

...the first batch of medical students to graduate in Ceylon were the pupils of Dr. Samuel Fiske Green of the American Mission in Jaffna. The Green hospital in Minipay and the FINS hospital in Jaffna were the pioneer medical training institutions in Ceylon 1847 - 1873......


...in 1887, the first Sinhalese female gave birth to a child in a London hospital. The mother of the child was a lace weaver (Sinhala/ Portuguese Beeralu) from Galle who arrived in London via a passenger ship. The pregnant woman concealed her delicate state and worked at the Ceylon pavilion as a demonstrator of the art of lace making Beeraluat the golden jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria. The baby (female?) was named "London Haamy" ...

...The Ceylon Branch of the British Medical Association, a long cherished dream of Dr. W.R. Kynsey had been finally inaugurated in 1887 with Dr. P.D. Anthonisz as the first President.....The Headquarters of the Association at Wijerama Mawatha ( McCarthy Road)  is the former residence which was gifted to the Association by  Dr. E.M. Wijerama originally from Kosgoda.. He was the first President of the Ceylon College of Physicians…

...the Portuguese (1505 - 1650?) introduced the "Misericorda" a house of mercy..... The Portuguese term "espirital" (Sinhala Ispirithlaya") for hospital was incorporated into the Sinhalese colloquial vocabulary...


...Tobacco cultivation was first introduced to Ceylon by the Portuguese. Captain General Don Antonio Masceranhas after consulting with native medical practitioners issued orders to the army that everyone should use tobacco as a precaution against the disease "Beriberi... . The description at the time resembled Cholera more than Beriberi"..

...the Portuguese introduced two diseases to Ceylon. Venereal disease and Yaws or Parangi which was contracted by the local population from slaves from Mozambique who were owned by the Portuguese...Yaws (also known as frambesia tropica, thymosis, polypapilloma tropicum, pian or parangi, "Bouba") is a tropical infection of the skin, bones and joints caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum pertenue....

...Smallpox made fearful ravages. The people called it "aukara" or curse of the gods and abandoned small pox patients in the jungles...

...The Portuguese imported Western Medicines to Ceylon via their headquarters in Goa. They also used drugs like opium and ganja called "Bhang"...

... C. H. de Soysa was born in 1836, the only son of Gate Mudaliyar Jeronis de Soysa and Francisca de Soysa. He married Lady Catherine de Soysa in 1863 and they were blessed with fourteen (14) children. He was a prominent Christian and one of the wealthiest land owners in Ceylon during his time, donated St. Mathias Church.. He owned more than 28,000 acres of rice fields, tea, rubber, coffee and coconut plantations mostly in Moratuwa, Colombo, Hanguranketha, Panadura, Marawila, Kandy and Galle. de Soysa also owned the Bagatalle Walauwa (Mansion) later named "Alfred House" and its 120 acres in Kollupitiya, Colombo. The Mansion and subsequently, the road, was named after a music bagatelle. A Bagatelle is a short piece of music, typically written for the piano. (example: Für Elisecomposed by Ludwig van Beethoven)   

The property and the mansion was the former residence of Mr. Charles Pieris, brother of Sir James Pieris (pioneer in political reform and independence in Sri Lanka and a cousin of the legendary philanthropist Sir C H De Soysa.).Durdans Hospital stands on the location of the mansion.  In  1879, C.H. de Soysa gifted the "Lying-in Home" for expectant mothers and instructions in midwifery followed. The “Lying-in Home” is now known as "De Soysa Maternity Hospital" to the public. He donated land and buildings to the Eye Hospital, Colombo and  the Medical Research Institute (MRI) Colombo. Bacteriology Institute was gifted to the Medical College by C.H. De Soysa's eldest son in memory of his father.
Charles Henry de Soysa died in 1890 ironically enough from a bite of a mad dog for which there was no remedy inCeylon at that time. A statue was erected in his memory at the Lipton Circle in front of the  Eye Hospital, Colombo.

The Cat’s Table  Author: Michael Ondaatje –( a Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist. He won the Booker Prize for his novel 'The English Patient').  In his fictional narrative, Ondaatje has created a fabric that holds a notable textural element of a somewhat relatively modern Sri Lankan lore. And that is the fable of the death of a well known Sri Lankan businessman (C.H. de Soysa) known for his munificence who was believed to have become the victim of voodoo. The Christian philanthropist was known for having founded hospitals through his philanthropy. The story goes that he had made a joke at the expense of a Bhikkhu (Buddhist priest) from Battaramulla. Playing on spoonerism he had jested at the Bhikkhu calling him ‘Muttara-balla’. ‘Muttara’ as the word would denote in Sinhala meaning urine and of course the world ‘balla’ meaning dog - ("urinating dog").
The offended Buddhist priest was believed to have been an exponent in voodoo and witchcraft, and had vowed vengeance upon the offender. Thereafter, during the course of the day he had been bitten by a dog, believed to have been in some accounts one of his own pets and a stray who had wandered into his property according to other versions, resulting in his immediate death. The reason for the death is supposedly stated in the death report as being a victim of rabies.)

..The Ceylon Governor, Sir Hercules Robinson in 1879 sanctioned the inauguration of the Medical School in Colombo. All that  remains of the School is the clock tower erected in memory of the second principal  Dr. Edwin Koch. He died in 1877 at the age of 40 years from a wound received while performing a post-mortem!...

..In 1880, the Medical School was elevated to College status at the recommendation of  Dr. William Raymond Kynsey. The road from the General Hospital to the Kanatte cemetery was named "Kynsey Road" in his memory. Some see it as a token of grim humor to Dr. Kynsey's memory (Birth/death at the General hospital and the cortege or  funeral procession takes a route via Kynsey Road to the Raymonds Funeral parlor and later a burial/cremation at the Kanatte cemetery)...
...In 1892, women were allowed to enter the Medical College, Colombo...
. 
...Queen Victoria granted full recognition of the medical degrees of Ceylon Licentiates thereby the liberty to practice medicine in Britain. The Diploma was changed to LMS. Some gave the acronym LMS a humorous interpretation (LMS - License to Murder the Sick)...
 
..... One striking feature is that the volume contains an array of little known information on various facets of public life in the Ceylon. For example, the birth of the Rotherfield Institute (Mental hospital?) in the 1920s focusing on psychology and mental health is described...

..Uniform penal diet in Ceylon prisons was introduced in 1867 as a disciplinary measure. The diet consisted of rice with salt served twice a day with plain rice conjee (rice porridge or gruel) for breakfast. This penal diet was enforced  for the first 10 days of  each month  for 6 months. Dr. P.D. Anthonisz thought that diet should not be made an instrument of punishment! An inquiry was held which proved that the penal diet had no effect on the bowels.  ( UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners- A healthy, well-balanced diet should be supplied to all persons in custody in accordance with prison regulations. A change of diet can be obtained following approval of the Medical Officer).

..."Lunatics are not criminals" said  Dr. P.D. Anthonisz (1880?) Accordingly, mental patents were separated from the general prison population and (11 males and 3 females) transferred to the Lunatic Asylum, Colombo..

...only Christians had cemeteries (provided by the church municipalities?).. the natives (Sinhala, Tamil, Muslims etc.) buried/cremated their dead in the garden...

...Dr. Walter G. Wickremasinghe from Galle is recorded as the first Ceylonese to attend the Harvard MedicalSchool perhaps in the early part of last century. He obtained a LM.S (Ceylon), M.R.C.P (London), attended theHarvard Medical School and specialized in Public Health. Dr. W.G. Wickremasinghe was appointed as the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services and was awarded the O.B.E. and C.M.G.(K.C.M.G?) by the British government in recognition of his services. He promoted health education by lectures in schools, illustrated by lantern slides on the problems of  filaria, hookworm, malaria etc. He was in charge of eradicating bubonic plague in Galle in 1922. To prevent the spread of the disease, Dr. W.G. Wickremasinghe exterminated the enormous rat population in the sewers of Galle Fort. It was then that the little known network of Dutch brick laid drains (1650 -1780 era) was uncovered. He attended St. Johns College in the city of Panadura under Principal Cyril Jansz and  later RoyalCollege, Colombo....

…..Dr. Ludovici of Galle drove a single cylinder British Rover car in 1910 and attended to his patients at their homes ..
(The notion of doctors making house calls in the US  harkens back to an era before HMOs, medical centers and outpatient surgery centers)

…perhaps the first surgeon to be appointed to the Galle hospital was Jan Curstens of Tonningen, Holland in 1636. He arrived in the ship “Prince William". He worked as a barber on the ship. Later, he acquired the knowledge of local plants and herbs suitable for use  in place of European drugs.... His salary was 60 guilders and was also given ten coconut  trees to make oil and toddy (also used as an ingedient to make bread). The Galle hospital under the Dutch consisted of a senior surgeon and two assistants. In 1788, the City council provided a block of land for a fruit garden for the benefit of the hospital patients. A slave was allowed to look after the garden…The slaves were brought from the coast of Madagascar and/or East African coast to Ceylon by the Portuguese, Dutch and the English.

Parts of the  information was obtained from the  book "GALLE as quiet as asleep" by Norah Roberts -printed @ the Vijitha Yapa Publications, Colombo. 

email from Tissa Kappagoda

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: tissa kappagoda

Hi Philip!

This is the talk I gave in Galle.  On reading it again, it seems as if we are on a path we don't want to be.

http://ehealth.lk/gma/publication/2009/proceedings2009.pdf

Tissa

Christmas miracle, email from Gallege De Silva

Fw: CHRISTMAS MEMORIES: A Real Christmas Miracle!! Read all, it will touch your heart, enjoy.

Inbox

x

Gallege De Silva	17:12 (12 hours ago)

----- Forwarded Message -----

Sent: Monday, 24 December 2012 4:33 PM
Subject: CHRISTMAS MEMORIES: A Real Christmas Miracle!! Read all, it will touch your heart, enjoy.

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES: A Real Christmas Miracle

Christmas Miracle

by Susan Leonard

When I recall precious Christmas memories, I think of a very special story, one which represents the magic and glory of the season. This is a true story, as told to me by my husband -- a professional Santa Claus -- of a real Christmas miracle which he experienced. A story that I think will cause YOU to believe   ...

Three years ago, a little boy and his grandmother came to see my Santa at Mayfair Mall in Wisconsin. The child climbed up on his lap, holding a picture of a little girl.

"Who is this?" asked Santa, smiling. "Your friend? Your sister?"

"Yes, Santa," he replied. "My sister, Sarah, who is very sick," he said sadly. Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was waiting nearby, and saw her dabbing her eyes with a tissue.

"She wanted to come with me to see you, oh, so very much, Santa!" the child exclaimed. "She misses you," he added softly.

Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile to the boy's face, asking him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas. When they finished their visit, the Grandmother came over to help the child off his lap, and started to say something to Santa, but halted.

"What is it?" Santa asked warmly.

"Well, I know it's really too much to ask you, Santa, but ...." the old woman began, shooing her grandson over to one of Santa's elves to collect the little gift which Santa gave all his young visitors. "The girl in the photograph ... my granddaughter ... well, you see ... she has leukemia and isn't expected to make it even through the holidays," she said through tear-filled eyes. "Is there any way, Santa ... any possible way that you could come see Sarah? That's all she's asked for, for Christmas, is to see Santa."

Santa blinked and swallowed hard and told the woman to leave information with his elves as to where Sarah was, and he would see what he could do.

Santa thought of little else the rest of that afternoon. He knew what he had to do. "What if it were MY child lying in that hospital bed, dying," he thought with a sinking heart, "this is the least I can do."

When Santa finished visiting with all the boys and girls that evening, he retrieved from his helper the name of the hospital where Sarah was staying. He asked the assistant location manager how to get to Children's Hospital. "Why?" Rick asked, with a puzzled look on his face. Santa relayed to him the conversation with Sarah's grandmother earlier that day. "C'mon .... I'll take you there," Rick said softly.

Rick drove them to the hospital and came inside with Santa. They found out which room Sarah was in. A pale Rick said he would wait out in the hall.

Santa quietly peeked into the room through the half-closed door and saw little Sarah on the bed. The room was full of what appeared to be her family; there was the Grandmother and the girl's brother he had met earlier that day. A woman whom he guessed was Sarah's mother stood by the bed, gently pushing Sarah's thin hair off her forehead. And another woman who he discovered later was Sarah's aunt, sat in a chair near the bed with a weary, sad look on her face. They were talking quietly, and Santa could sense the warmth and closeness of the family, and their love and concern for Sarah.

Taking a deep breath, and forcing a smile on his face, Santa entered the room, bellowing a hearty, "Ho, ho, ho!"

"Santa!" shrieked little Sarah weakly, as she tried to escape her bed to run to him, IV tubes intact.

Santa rushed to her side and gave her a warm hug. A child the tender age of his own son -- 9 years old -- gazed up at him with wonder and excitement. Her skin was pale and her short tresses bore telltale bald patches from the effects of chemotherapy. But all he saw when he looked at her was a pair of huge, blue eyes.

His heart melted, and he had to force himself to choke back tears. Though his eyes were riveted upon Sarah's face, he could hear the gasps and quiet sobbing of the women in the room. As he and Sarah began talking, the family crept quietly to the bedside one by one, squeezing Santa's shoulder or his hand gratefully, whispering "thank you" as they gazed sincerely at him with shining eyes.

Santa and Sarah talked and talked, and she told him excitedly all the toys she wanted for Christmas, assuring him she'd been a very good girl that year. As their time together dwindled, Santa felt led in his spirit to pray for Sarah, and asked for permission from the girl's mother. She nodded in agreement and the entire family circled around Sarah's bed, holding hands.

Santa looked intensely at Sarah and asked her if she believed in angels. "Oh, yes, Santa ... I do!" she exclaimed.

"Well, I'm going to ask that angels watch over you," he said.

Laying one hand on the child's head, Santa closed his eyes and prayed. He asked that God touch little Sarah, and heal her body from this disease. He asked that angels minister to her, watch and keep her. And when he finished praying, still with eyes closed, he started singing softly, "Silent Night, Holy Night ... all is calm, all is bright." The family joined in, still holding hands, smiling at Sarah, and crying tears of hope, tears of joy for this moment, as Sarah beamed at them all.

When the song ended, Santa sat on the side of the bed again and held Sarah's frail, small hands in his own. "Now, Sarah," he said authoritatively, "you have a job to do, and that is to concentrate on getting well. I want you to have fun playing with your friends this summer, and I expect to see you at my house at   Mayfair Mall this time next year!"

He knew it was risky proclaiming that, to this little girl who had terminal cancer, but he had to. He had to give her the greatest gift he could -- not dolls or games or toys -- but the gift of HOPE.

"Yes, Santa!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes bright. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead and left the room.

Out in the hall, the minute Santa's eyes met Rick's, a look passed between them and they wept unashamed. Sarah's mother and grandmother slipped out of the room quickly and rushed to Santa's side to thank him. "My only child is the same age as Sarah," he explained quietly. "This is the least I could do." They nodded with understanding and hugged him.

One year later, Santa Mark was again back on the set in Milwaukee for his six-week, seasonal job which he so loves to do. Several weeks went by and then one day a child came up to sit on his lap. "Hi, Santa! Remember me?!"

"Of course, I do," Santa proclaimed (as he always does), smiling down at her. After all, the secret to being a *good* Santa is to always make each child feel as if they are the only child in the world at that moment.

"You came to see me in the hospital last year!"

Santa's jaw dropped. Tears immediately sprang in his eyes, and he grabbed this little miracle and held her to his chest. "Sarah!" he exclaimed. He scarcely recognized her, for her hair was long and silky and her cheeks were rosy -- much different from the little girl he had visited just a year before.

He looked over and saw Sarah's mother and grandmother in the sidelines smiling and waving and wiping their eyes.

That was the best Christmas ever for Santa Claus. He had witnessed -- and been blessed to be instrumental in bringing about -- this miracle of hope.

This precious little child was healed. Cancer-free. Alive and well. He silently looked up to Heaven and humbly whispered,

"Thank you, Father. 'Tis a very, merry Christmas!"

Publisher's Note:: This story has circulated widely on the Internet over the last 3 years with "Author Unknown" in the byline. That was how I originally received the story and published it. With a sense of relief and gratitude I can now give credit where credit is due. The story was told by Mark R. Leonard, a professional Santa Claus and written by his wife, Susan Leonard, a.k.a "Mrs. Claus:" http://www.geocities.com/santa_mark/miraclestory.html.

No copyright infringement was or is intended.

HOW A BUDDHIST THERA VIEWS CHRISTMAS, email sent by Buddy Reid

A good reminder of ONE  of the important meanings of Christmas. He does remind me as a Christian that Jesus was both Human and Divine. I have highlighted the relevant sentence How a Thera views Christmas by Ven. Prof. Bellanwila – Wimalaratana Thera Chancellor – Sri Jayewardenepura University Christmas Day is the holiest day for all Christians, and Christians all over the world celebrate this Holy Day in pious solemnity and religious grandeur. The significance of Christmas is such that it is now generally considered a time that induces and encourages all to rise above petty divisions and bonds, for people to live in harmony and peace. But none of these features really highlights the true significance of Christmas. We have to give thought to find out what really is the true significance of Christmas. As a Buddhist I see Christmas Day as the day on which we have to ponder what exactly is humaneness. To Christians Jesus, born on Christmas Day, is the Son of God. But I see him as a great noble human being. The services rendered by him for the good and well-being of human kind is immeasurable. Having been born among human beings, living and growing-up among them, he spent all his life to serve human beings. If we consider his teachings from a rational perspective, we would see it not as a revelation but as an the expression concerning the true state of affairs prevailing in society, expressions voicing the experience he gained from society. He denounced injustice and inequality and always upheld and fought for justice and equality. His criticism aimed at oppressive acts done in the name of God and condoned by the prelates of the traditional Jewish ecclesiastical hierarchy clearly demonstrates his humanistic attitude. The following quote from Mathew (23) is a good example for this; Jesus said: “Woe to you, the teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside – but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” “You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and umin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the Law – justice, mercy and faithfulness.” The whole life of Jesus Christ was dedicated to bringing about an ethically good society, where the people would find peace and happiness; to free the average people from oppression of the privileged class. He said that poverty facilitates this meeting with God. He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew: 5) He said: “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to entire the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew: 19) With such bold expressions Jesus tried to drive the point that a life of poverty founded on morality, is better than a life of affluence acquired through corrupt practices and illegal means. It is true that he had to pay with His life for been truthful and bold to speak up against evils and corruptions. Yet, through his noble life and conduct we see the glittering example of his incomparable humaneness. Therefore, the true significance of Christmas Day should be considered as connoting the sublime nature of humaneness. Christmas becomes beautiful not merely because of the attractive saleable items such as clothes that fill the shops; not because the roads are adorned with colourful electric bulbs that are lit along them. Churches do not become attractive on Christmas Day merely because of the Psalms sung in them. Homes do not become pleasant merely because of the delicious food items prepared in them to celebrate Christmas. Christmas Day becomes beautiful when the mind is freed from anger and revengeful feelings; when people are able to go beyond petty divisions of caste, creed and race; when corruption and injustice are shattered and when morals, justice and equality reign. With the end of terrorism that lasted almost for three decades Christians now celebrate Christmas throughout the island unhindered and with great pomp and solemnity. The message of Christmas is peace. But it should go deeper than mere superficial peace. Christmas Day will be more meaningful if we emphasize the importance of transgressing petty differences and co-existing peacefully. The most sublime and noble manner in which we could honour the great being born on this day is by turning ourselves into good human beings.