Prof.Geri Jayasekara

Those were the very early days.The time we entered the faculty every entrant(prospective) had to face an interview.We were privileged to have Sir Nicholas Attygalle as one of the panelists.I had my viva and was asked by Sir Nicholas as to why I did not think of taking to teaching as a profession.This was after I replied to a question about the last book I had read just before the viva and said that I read"Good Bye Mr Chipps" and thought teaching was such a noble profession and was asked as to why I chose Medicine and I  replied that I thought medicine was a nobler profession.I was relating this to Gerry whom I had just met and asked him what they asked him.He said they  asked him what his hobby(ies) are and Gerry had answered "collecting jokes".Sir Nicholas had then asked what his latest was and Gerry had replied"coming for this interview"Whether this really was true or not that was a really great introduction to the tonic we got from Gerry throughout out grind at medical college.Those days psychiatry training was confined to a few lecture demonstrations at Mulleriyawa,and when we arrived there the Consultant (?Dr Welikala) had lined up about two or three catatonic Schizophrenics with Waxy Flexibility( a rare find these days with advanced treatment.)..The consultant had just gone out of the room and to his dismay when he came back he saw his patients all arranged to dancing poses standing like statues,created by Gerry during those few moments.Gerry many thanks for your great company and hope you have the most hilarious farewell from your Prof Chair.

Dr. Milroy De Silva

Stories of Prof Milroy Paul

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Prof.Milroy Paul incidents - email from Prof S.N. Arsekularatne

15 May

Dear Philip

Whiile in Hong Kong, I read your interesting book Remembered Vignettes. Thanks for it.

You might recall a story about Milroy Paul.

He frequently had hydrocoeles, hernias, hydrocoeles and more hernias, and his attendant who was used to these started preparing the underworld of the patient on the table.

But the case was one of a goitre.

So Paul yelled at the man (I forget his name Lewis?)

Oya boley newei, Uda boley miniho

cheers

Chubby

Milroy Paul lives fondly in our memories.

1.Once as a medical student Professor Bibile was cycling  along Kynsey Rd on the way to the operating theatre D,  late to be in the theatre by 8.00am.

Milroy travelled in his car  the same way and as he overtook  Bibile, peeped out and shouted ‘ You are fired!’

Not to be out done, Bibile cycled hard and was in the theatre by the time Milroy could park,  put on theatre boots contained in the car and get to the theatre! (He carried his own boots).

Bibile’s ‘fire’ was extinguished!

Milroy enjoyed such happenings!   

2. In the op theatre, ready to operate on the elbow of the patient lying on the table, he found the attendant lifting the patient’s leg mistakenly, thinking the knee was the site instead of the elbow.

Milroy shouted ‘ Uda danissa miniho, uda danissa!’

Source Matron Carmen Tissera when she was a student nurse.

jksw