The Eye-maker in BIHAR - COUNTRY of the BLIND
In memory of DAVID WILSON TAYLOR 1907 - 1983
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INTRODUCTION In 1931 eye cataracts were endemic in the Bihar region of North East India and David Taylor, a young doctor recently arrived at the village of Bamdah, set about learning from text-books how to operate and restore sight. Over the two years he was stranded there alone, he carried out two thousand eye operations along with all the other general surgery that was thrown at him. It is the remarkable story
of a young 23-year old faced with the responsibility of restoring
A city dweller
from Bengal approached and asked: "Where is the Head Doctor?" "I am the Head Doctor." "But
this is a mere boy!" |
Other historical Links with Bamdah
Eye Hospital:
http://www.barbaragoss.co.uk/family/wells.html The family of the founder.
The above link expired in May 2006. Here is some saved information from that site:-
Jenny (Janet) Wells was a doctor and married Dr Jim Macphail who had started a
"Jungle Hospital" in Bamdah, India.
He and Jenny devoted their lives to this task. From small
beginnings and after overcoming local opposition to the idea of surgical
operations, Bamdah Hospital gradually became a
well-known centre, particularly for cataract operations.
Their son Dr Ronal Macphail joined
them in 1925 and carried on the work after his father died in 1929.
It was he who handed over to David Taylor for two years in 1931.
http://www.ccdhb.org.nz/hhist/staff/BairdJB_N.html A New Zealander, James Baird, worked there between 1928-9.
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In 1947 over 8,000 patients received treatment and 6,895
operations were performed in Bamdah Hospital.