Vol. 14 No. 1 (2021): Year of the Nurse
Blogs

The First Cadaveric Dissection in India: Calcutta Medical College circa - 10th January, 1836

PDF
  • Soumit Dasgupta FRCS FRCP
Soumit Dasgupta FRCS FRCP
Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool, UK
Bio
capt Tom Moore by Aria
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38192/14.1.14

Published 2021-03-13

Keywords

  • Calcutta Medical College,
  • Cadaveric dissection,
  • Baboo Pundit Madhusudan Goopto

How to Cite

Dasgupta, S. (2021). The First Cadaveric Dissection in India: Calcutta Medical College circa - 10th January, 1836 . Sushruta Journal of Health Policy & Opinion, 14(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.38192/14.1.14

Abstract

Historical Perspective

The first cadaver dissection in India in the 19th century after millennia of social prejudices took place in the recently established Calcutta Medical College in 1835, the first medical college in Asia imparting western medical education to British, Anglo Indians and Indians in the empire.  The first scientific approach to medical sciences commenced following this landmark event and set the trend for future liberal attitudes in society and contributed to the Bengal Renaissance of the 19th century. This is a fictional account of the day when it happened. Only the characters and the fact that the dissection occurred are real.

PDF

References

  1. General Report on Public Instruction, 1849-1850, p. 124; https://ia800305.us.archive.org/8/items/ldpd_11231374_003/ldpd_11231374_003.pdf
  2. Bhattacharyya J. The first dissection controversy: introduction to anatomical education in Bengal and British India. Current Science. 2011; 101 (9): 1227-1232; https://www.jstor.org/stable/24079618?seq=1
  3. Gorman M. Introduction of Western Science into Colonial India: Role of the Calcutta Medical College. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 1988; 132(3): 276-298; https://www.jstor.org/stable/3143855