Sri Kaantha - 'Joe'

An after-noon with Dr.Srikaatha (Joe Kaantha)

            Today 9/4/2007, I met Joe at the NHSL(former GH), Colombo, in the House Officers quarters. I last met him in Ilford UK, in his son's residence in October 2006. Joe as you all know joined our batch in the Medical Faculty. He was in my clinical batch and was resident with us at Bloemfonteyn medical hostel, where he was the room-mate of Fred Spittle. True to his nick name 'Joker', there never was a dull moment as long as he was around. He related the following stories.

            He was at Hambantota as MO Blood-bank, in the late 1960's. One of his cross-matched blood transfusions, had developed a reaction. The nurse had been observant and stopped the progress of the transfusion immediately and no complications had occurred. One of the MO's from Walasmulla, let us call him Dr.P, was on a visit to Hambantota hospital, on this particular day. He had made the comment, that Joe had been sent to Hambantota from Jaffna, to kill all the Sinhalese at Hambantota by blood transfusions. (This was a matter for joking in the late 1960s).

            The same Dr.P had been worried about the oral Tamil exam he had to pass, to qualify for entry to Grade 2 in the Health Department. He had noticed his other Sinhalese colleagues cramming up Tamil words. He was working in Walasmulla where Tamils were a rarity and there was no one to teach him Tamil. Joe had told him to listen to the Radio Ceylon, Tamil Commercial service. regularly to pick up his Tamil. The day of the exam came and Dr.P went to face the test. The two examiners had greeted him in Tamil saying 'Vanakkam'. Dr.P had replied 'Vanakkam Ayya. Ithu ilankaiu vaanoli varthaka sevai' (Greetings Sir, this is the commercial service of Radio Ceylon). The examiners were so flabbergasted that they had a long discussion with him. He explained his predicament and finally they told him, that they would pass him but, that he should not do the same type of performance in his other post-graduate medical exams.

            Joe in his turn went for the Sinhalese orals. His Apothecary in Meegahakula where he was working Medical Officer in Charge, had coached him in Sinhalese. The examiner had asked him 'Mahaththaya koheda vada keranney?' (Sir, where are you working?) Joe had replied 'Mama Meegahakula Pariyanthe ekakaye, vada karanawa' (I am working in the Peripheral Unit Meegahakula). The examiners were impressed. They kept at him and asked him the Sinhalese word for an allergic rash. He said 'Dadaya' - 'No', 'Thuwaala' - 'Not correct' The answer was supposed to be 'kaduwegan'. Joe failed the test. When he came out and asked them the same question, the word 'Kaduwegan' was not forthcoming, from his Sinhalese friends.

            My friend Dr.Karalliedda went for the Tamil orals. He was asked in English what his present posting was. He said 'House officer Anaesthesia'. Then he was asked to tell this in Tamil. 'Karals' had said 'Look, I do not even know the Sinhalese word for Anaesthesia. How do you expect me to know the Tamil word for it'.

            Joe told me a few other stories which will wait for another day. Dr. Srikaantha ended up as Director of Health Services for Non Communicable diseases, in the Health Department of Sri-Lanka, before retirement. He is married to a doctor. His son is an accountant married and settled down in the UK. His daughter is waiting to emigrate and join her husband in Canada. Joe and his wife did a trip to Germany, France and UK last year. They are now in Colombo.

            He ended up by saying that he wants to sell his Toyota Starlet car. He said that it has a few abrasions and contusions but that there are no fractures in the car and that it would be a 'good buy'.