Remembering our dead

            " Sunset and Evening star,

            And one clear call for me;

            May there be no moaning at the bar

            When I go out to sea"

This is about remembering those in our batch who died during our medical student days. I wonder whether this list is complete. I am sure if there are any lapses, that you would make good the omissions.

            Young Athuraliya, the brother of one of our demonstrators of the same name, in the 2nd MB, was the first casualty. He had had a very enjoyable dinner, with some of his batch-mates, at the Saraswathy Lodge in Bambalapitiya. It was drizzling when he attempted to cross the Galle road opposite the restaurant. A speeding Morris Minor taxi, knocked him down, and sped on it's way. Athuraliya was taken with a bad head injury, to the GH Colombo, where he died. His parents were inconsolable.

            The second death was of a female medical student, who hanged herself in her home, because she could not face the shame of failing the second MB exam first shy. This happened during our vacations after the 2nd MB exam. and was hardly noticed by her batch-mates. All of them commented what a shy and withdrawn girl she had been.

            The third tragedy struck during our early clinicals in the third year.. Mercy Thomas was a very attractive and humorous medical student. She had a ready wit and repartee for any comments. She fell in love with a dashing captain in the army. The wedding was in church opposite her house in Colpetty. It was a full army ceremonial church wedding. She settled down to a happy married life. She had a urinary tract infection complicating early pregnancy. She was prescribed a Sulpha for the UTI. She aborted the fetus and went into an acute renal shutdown due to the Sulpha. At the same time a Rathwaththe child had a renal shutdown and was flown by a Ceylon Air Force plane to India and Vellore where there was a dialysis machine. It was decided to send Mercy there. On arrival at the airport in Colombo the first sight to greet them was the coffin, bringing the body of the Rathwaththe child, who had died in Vellore. She was flown by the same Ceylon Air Force Dakota to India. She was making good progress, then suddenly the news came that she had died. Her body was flown back. It was a very emotional farewell, which Mercy had from her colleagues. She would have made a wonderful doctor with her kindness and compassion.

            It is said that all of us undergo two deaths. The first is when our body dies and decomposes. The second death occurs when our collegues friends and relations forget to remember us.

Dear Phillip,May i add another tp your list? Basil De Silva was an extremely
clever v friendly studentfrom St Benedicts college and if i remember correct
was head prefect there.He was with a group of friends in a car that crashed
in to a post at Galleface green and died the next day.I attended the funeral
which was v sad as he was the shining star in the family. Had he lived he
would he would have been a leading top medico.

Daya J.

Dear Philip

I have read (silently) most of your commentaries with interest.

Re the 'premature deaths' you have remembered, during medical college era, I would like to add with deep sorrow, the tragic death of Basil De Silva also.

 He was such a charming and friendly guy. He was admitted to the neuro surgical unit following a motor traffic accident (he was riding a scooter if I could recollect). He had a massive subdural bleed but this was diagnosed rather late (on reflection and with our mature knowledge we now have) and died a week or 10 days later in the NSU.

Fondly remembered by some of his friends and another one to your list please.

 Regards

 Nana