Farokh udwadia biography of donald

Dr Farokh E Udwadia: Medicine is learnt more at the bedside than from books. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email. Share Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email. Print this article. Reduce font size. Increase font size. He is a fervent, and eloquent, evangelist for the art of healing as distinct from the science of cure, a continuous student of the humanities.

This arguably accounts for his reputation as India's best diagnostician. Moreover, you need to take a good history astutely because people of different temperaments present their symptoms quite differently. So, many variables have to be taken into consideration. In your convocation address at BHU, why did you include charity among the hallmarks of a great physician?

Beneficence is the most important, doing good to the patient. It extends to his inner being. That is where humanism comes in. Second is patient autonomy — which often conflicts with beneficence. So good medicine is a balance. A young man comes in with severe pneumonia, blue and breathless. But, because of his fear of hospitals or doctors, he refuses to have the breathing machine he requires urgently.

I try and explain, but he is adamant. I just asked the doctor to sedate him immediately, intubate and ventilate. He recovered after a fair amount of struggle because we had wasted those precious minutes, by which time he was almost pulseless and pressure-less. He survived. In a critical situation, beneficence prevails. I ask him to think it over, discuss it with others.

If he returns as adamant, I will respect that. Sometimes it is not possible to do exactly the right thing. Then you do what is the least wrong. At the JJ we had a tetanus ward with nine beds and two breathing machines. Sometimes five or six people required one simultaneously. Do I give it to those who are most ill? Even, with very severe tetanus, people can live.

We started this ward and we that is all my boys and girls working round the clock brought down the mortality from per cent to almost per cent. All I can say is that you are often taken by surprise. But the important thing is that you must admit it. Is there any other certainty in life? Death is the only certainty. So you have to take it axiomatically.

Very calmly and most authoritatively. I remain indebted for life. Fortunately, our recent interactions have been social and not medical. Both are sought after for their erudition, elegance and refinement. He is also not overly impressed by technology and the age of super specialisation. But before any of this, a doctor needs to listen.

Farokh udwadia biography of donald

Naturally, they have a special meaning for the Parsis, who claim descent from the Persians. At his talk on Wedneday, Dr. Echoes of history. Date September 25, Post by arZan. Category Art. City physician and history aficionado Dr.