Nostalgically Speaking – 5: Dr. John Eswaraiah and Dr. K.B. Subbaiah made for each other !

Sir,

This refers to KBG’s article “Nostalgically Speaking — 5: Mission Hospital, Old Glory” (Star of Mysore dated Aug.16) which was very excellent. Please permit me to add a few words:

It is true the two top doctors of Holdsworth Memorial Hospital, popularly known as Mission Hospital, Dr. John Eswaraiah, FRCS (Eng), FRCS Edinburgh, FACS USA, was a very eminent Surgeon and Dr. K.B. Subbaiah, MBBS MRCP (London), was an equally eminent Physician and a top Cardiologist.

The above two Surgeon-Physician team was an eyesore to so many doctors because of their popularity. Dr. John Eswaraiah was a specialist in General Surgery and Urology. A British trained Surgeon, he used to do Surgery in Orthopaedics, Gynaecology and Plastic Surgery in case of emergency.

Similarly Dr. K.B. Subbaiah was a British trained Physician and Cardiologist of repute.

It may not be out of context to say Dr. John Eswaraiah used to see the medical patients in the absence of Dr. K.B. Subbaiah and Dr. Subbaiah used to attend to surgery patients in the absence of Dr. John Eswaraiah. There was co-operation and also understanding between the two doctors.

I have seen both of them visiting the Flower Show during Dasara and also attend special lectures or seminars in K.R. Hospital Pathology Hall.

During Dr. Subbaiah’s tenure, it was very difficult to get Special Ward as it was always full. When my father was admitted for Prostate Surgery in the year 1972 at Men’s Surgical Ward for want of Special Ward, I approached Dr. Subbaiah, who was very well-known to our family. He immediately ordered the Staff Nurse to shift my father to a Special Ward close to Consultation which was actually reserved for his mother. Such was the generosity of Dr. K.B. Subbaiah.

– H.N. Bharadwaj, Mysuru, 18.8.2020

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