Tales of interest

Leander - from The Sound of Music

https://youtu.be/qUfWRBGQkz0?t=1

Anal dilators

            Hemorrhoids (piles), had various techniques of treatment over time. One which was advocated as "Lord's procedure" involved, the stretching of the anal canal under anesthesia. This was followed up, with daily dilatation of the muscles of the anal canal, with a plastic dilator, by the patient himself/herself. The patient was instructed in this procedure of dilatation of the anus on a daily basis using the dilator, by the medical officer, before discharge from the hospital.

            At a follow-up clinic a young female patient, who had this procedure done started off saying:-

"You know doctor, those anal DELIGHTERS you gave me ………."

She was making, a classic 'Freudian slip'.

Sherifdeen In Yugoslavia

            Prof Sherifdeen told me about this incident. He and a few of his Ceylonese friends, while on study leave in the UK to do their post-graduate studies, planned a tour of the continent. They bought a second-hand Austin Princess, a biggish car, by the then British standards. They went on their way, going by ferry to the continent. After many adventures in various countries, they found themselves at the border check-point oy Yugoslavia just after closing time. The barrier was down. No amount of pleading of the lateness of the hour and the lack of accommodation for the night would budge the guards. Feeling miserable they went into a huddle and decided to pass the night in the car. While discussing various things they had mentioned the name of our Prime-Minister Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranayake. They said that at the mention of the word 'Bandaranayake', the frontier guards approached them and inquired from them their country of origin. On being told Ceylon, they inquired about the health of Madame Sirimavo. It was red carpets all the way then and they were very friendly. They opened the barrier to let them through, in spite of the lateness of the hour, and wished them a happy journey.

            When Sherifdeen met, Mrs. Bandaranayaka at a reception in Sri-Lanka, long afterwards when she was out of power, he related this story to her. She replied ‘Yes, those days when I was in power, they gave us respect in the international arena’. She seemed very happy to hear the story.

Sirimavo’s regret

            Prof. Dayasiri Fernando, our batch mate, was Mrs. Sirimavo’s personal Surgeon and family friend. He had operated on her for a para-umbilical hernia, and was very close to her. He told me that one day while enjoying her company, he had asked her, ‘Madam, do you regret any decision in politics, you made in your life?’ She had thought a bit and said ‘Yes the taking over of the private schools’.

            The state aided private schools set very high standards of education, discipline and sports in those days. The Government Central Schools were coming up. Given a model to imitate they would have achieved greater heights until they may have equaled and even surpassed the private state aided schools. The decision to nationalize the state aided schools brought everything to the base level. We are paying the price for it now. Sirimavo was wise enough to perceive her past blunder and magnanimous enough to admit her mistake.

Premadasa’s mid-day nap

            This is another story told me by Prof Dayasiri Fernando. We all knew the late President R.Premadasa to be a workoholic. He got a lot of things done in his short tenure. It is said that when the young Premadasa had met old Mr.D.S.Senanayake, he had said ‘Watch that man. He is going far’, because of his dedication and dynamism in the UNP. Premadasa used to work very late. He would up early in the morning and go through the papers. Any official wanting in his duty would receive a call in the early hours of the morning, calling the latter to account on some subject wanting attention. Woe betide the man who was found wanting even if he was a Government Agent of a Province. He would arrive unannounced at a work place to check on progress. People in the state sector began to drop their ‘laisser faire’ attitude, during his tenure of Presidency. Every one was impressed with his ability to work hard.

            Dayasiri met him at a reception and while making small talk asked him ‘Sir, can you tell me how you manage your daily grinding work schedule?’ Premadasa the ever practical man had told him, ‘I break the day into two parts by a short nap in the after-noon. This gives me a rest to give energy for the second part of the long day’