Novel Research Works Undertaken In The Last Century at School of Tropical Medicine (STM)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine. a heritage institute was founded in 1921 as the nodal center of teaching and research in the field of tropical diseases. The then Royal Asiatic Society (now The Asiatic Society, Kolkata) had initiated the process of establishing the School with the patronage of Sir Leonard Rogers, the President of the Medical Section of the Society. At the outset the Society had handed over all its collections of medical books, journals and manuscripts to resource the library of the School.

Since then it functions as the center of learning and serves over the years by the galaxy of national and international physicians and basic medical scientists. Clinical materials and research data generated by the contemporary workers were being exchanged with almost all the notable institutes of the world. This compendium has been published after the rigorous literature search followed by categorization by a team of Subject Experts selected from various sub-disciplines. This mammoth activity was financially supported by the Asiatic Society. This volume is the mark of tribute to the School of Tropical Medicine in its Centenary Year.

Professor (Dr.) Krishnangshu Ray is a Medical Educator in the West Bengal Medical Education Service for more than three decades. Dr. Ray has graduated from Calcutta National Medical College, attained his specialization in Anesthesiology from IPGMER, Kolkata, MD in Pharmacology from JIPMER, Pondicherry and awarded PhD in Medicine from the University of Burdwan. He had served both in the academics and administrative capacities like Professor of Pharmacology, Director of State Drugs Control, Director of Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine and other prestigious positions. He was awarded WHO Fellowship in Clinical Pharmacology and ECFMG Fellowship in Medical Education to work in UK and USA respectively. Dr. Ray was nominated by the Government to visit London School of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, University of Manchester and Leibnitz Institute in Hamburg for developing research collaborations. The causes and concerns of tropical and neglected diseases and their importance on public health research had prompted him in compiling and editing this Volume. This Compendium has been prepared based on a financial support provided by the Asiatic Society to Dr. Ray as the Director of the School. The Editor pays his tribute to the remarkable contributions of the Scientists of the by-gone days in the Centenary Year of the School (1921-2021).

It is a common knowledge now in the public domain that the Asiatic Society, Kolkata as the oldest institution of learning and research had been instrumental in initiating the process of establishment of specialized institutions across the country with many academic and professional specializations after a few decades since its inception in 1784. As the mother institution, which passed by different names from time to time (such as The Asiatic Society of Bengal (1832-35), The Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal (1936-51) and The Asiatic Society since 1951), it initially accommodated all major subjects of study and research broadly divided into History, Science and Art. With the increasing accumulation of knowledge and attainment of specializations, a number of major institutions got branched off starting from the Geological Survey of India, 1851 (the first Director of GSI, Thomas Oldham was the President of the Asiatic Society during 1864-69), the Archaeological Survey of India, 1861 (its pioneer Alexander Cunningham was a member of the Asiatic Society), the Calcutta Medical College, 1835 (its first Principal. Dr. M. J. Bramley was a member of the Asiatic Society), the School of Tropical Medicine, 1921 (its first Director, Leonard Rogers was the President of the Asiatic Society in 1915) and many others. The Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, one of its unique kinds in the country started as the nodal centre of teaching and research in the field of tropical diseases. To begin with the Asiatic Society had handed over all its collections of medical books, journals and manuscripts to the library of the School of Tropical Medicine. Since then it has been functioning as the centre of learning where many national and international Physicians and Medical Scientists were involved. The premier departments like Tropical Medicine, Medical Entomology, Helminthology, Mycology, Leprology were first developed here in this subcontinent.

In view of the approaching Centenary of this Heritage School, late Professor (Dr.) Subir Kumar Dutta, an eminent Pathologist of the country as well as the Medical Secretary of the Asiatic Society (from 2006-07 to 14.05.2021) made an effort in getting a compendium done, based on the activities of research as well as publications of this pioneering School. This process was facilitated when Professor (Dr.) Krishnangshu Ray, an eminent medical educator, practitioner and administrator as well submitted a proposal to the Society in the year 2010 and in turn the Council of the Society accepted it and provided a fund for successful completion of this arduous and noble project. It is now a matter of joy to all concerned that finally the mission has been fulfilled. The editor of this important volume Dr. Ray deserves our profuse thanks for making it possible on the occasion of the completion of centenary year of this historical centre of medical education and research in the tropical diseases of this country.

Hope, the publication of this volume will certainly be helpful to the students, researchers, medical administrators as well as the inquisitive readers of the public in this special field of human knowledge. The book has been very appropriately dedicated to the memory of late Professor (Dr.) Subir Kumar Dutta who breathed his last on 14.05.2021.