Doctors Extraordinaire” by Dr Wong Heck Sing
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6 Book Review A Review of “Doctors Extraordinaire” By Dr Wong Heck Sing r Ho Tak Ming is to including intimate details, from their I was also surprised to read of Dr L. be congratulated on patients in order to treat them correctly. Braddon’s work on beriberi, and that he D writing a most inte- Dr Wu Lien-Teh, or Dr Gnoh Lean was opposed by the famous Sir Patrick resting and readable book. His Tuck, as he was known in Ipoh, needed Manson, who firmly believed that beriberi “Doctors Extraordinaire” describes no introduction. Dr Wu’s fame as the was caused by an infection. Dr Braddon the inspiring and out-of-the- world-renowned plague authority for his believed that beriberi was due to eating ordinary lives and work of some outstanding work in China, was known white polished rice, although the reason 18 doctors and 1 dental surgeon. far and wide. advanced by him was erroneous. He I was privileged to have known The book “Doctors I was surprised to learn from Dr Ho’s thought white rice contained a toxin and Extraordinaire” can some of them - Dr A. A. Sandosham, my book that one of the Malaysian doctors, so he tried to find an antidote to the poison. be purchased online Professor of Biology, who taught me in Dr Khong Kam Tak or K. T. Khong, is a direct The bravery of the Kathigasus through http:// www.dts-web.com/ my first year medical course. I also knew descendant of the sage Confucius. He is also was inspiring. drs_extraordinaire/ Dr. R. Sathiah, Founder President of the grandfather of Dr Khong Kok Sun, a Another doctor, Dato Dr S. Under- order.html. The cost is the College of General Practitioners of RM35.00 for the book, senior orthopaedic surgeon who used to wood was a truly remarkable man. His and an additional Malaysia, and Dr A. W. E. Moreira who practise at the Alexandra Hospital in generosity in helping needy students RM10.00 for postage later succeeded him. I, in my capacity Singapore and the 74th direct descendant through his Dato Dr S. Underwood Fund in Malaysia and Singapore. For more as the Singapore College of General of Confucius (see accompanying article was highly commendable. information, please Practitioners’ President, met Drs Sathiah by Dr Khong K. S. - Editor). The author included a dental contact the author, Dr Ho Tak Ming at and Moreira several times. However, the book failed to mention surgeon for good measure although [email protected]. As the author mentioned, Professor another “doctor extraordinaire”: Dr T. J. what the latter did was nothing Sandosham loved to make his students, Danaraj, a Malaysian, who started from outstanding or remarkable. Since the especially the female students, uncom- scratch and single-handedly established book is called “Doctors Extraordinaire”, fortable by telling them the facts of life very the Faculty of Medicine in the University Dr Ho should have included only those bluntly. He only relented when the female of Malaysia. Other omissions included who made a significant impact or students began squirming and blushing in Dr M. Mahathir, the present and longest contribution to Malaysia. their seats. But in telling the facts of life, serving Prime Minister of Malaysia. he was really preparing them for the day Another notable omission is Dr Tan Chee Editor’s Note: when they became doctors. Doctors Koon. He served for many years in the The book reviewer, Dr Wong Heck Sing (MBBS 1952), is a retired family physician, a Honorary cannot afford to be embarrassed if they Malaysian Parliament, and his views SMA Member and a past President of the College are to get all the necessary information, were greatly respected. of Family Physicians. I who was one of the pioneers in modern volunteer Medical Superintendent of a medicine in Ipoh and the person featured. maternity hospital for 30 years. He The second was my father and the third stopped practising Medicine around was myself as a pre-schooler. That was how 1961 after my father (his son) took over I was “traced” by the Editor. The connection the clinic. I remember him as a strict with Confucius was that we are direct gentleman who spoke the Queen’s descendants of the venerable sage. English and who played ‘fast” mahjong. From left, the He had a ruler to line up his mahjong writer, Kit Yew, DESCENDANTS OF A CONFUCIAN Kit Soon and CONSCIENCE KHONG KAM TAK wall and often used it to rap the knuckles Kit Thong on the by Dr Khong Kok Sun This book is reviewed in another of those beside him who were a bit too writer’s father’s 80th birthday in was asked to write this piece follo- article and clearly relates the life of slow for his liking! He is reputed to May 2001. wing the publication of the book my grandfather in the chapter “A have changed the history of modern I“Doctors Extraordinaire” by Ipoh Confucian Conscience”. He was the 74th Singapore because he “saved the life” of general practitioner Dr Ho Tak Ming. descendant of the sage and born on a 21-year old cub reporter Wee Kim Wee Although I did hail from that small town, 30 December 1884 and was one of the who was assigned to Ipoh by the Straits I was not featured - except in one of the first students of Anglo-Chinese School, Times in 1936. The future President of photographs in the chapter showing Ipoh. He received his medical training Singapore suffered from mental stress 3 generations of doctors including my in Cambridge University, England, and from his new job and was medically grandfather, Dato Dr Khong Kam Tak, was both private practitioner and a advised by my grandfather to take a Page 7 7 Page 6 – A Review of “Doctors Extraordinaire” has now been corrected in the 77th life than operating. Taking long rest back in Singapore, after which generation for my son and his nephews. up orthopaedics was less he recovered and moved on to history. This lineage was recently reconfirmed stressful, more “ful-filling” up Just before he died at the age of 89, when I met an expatriate nurse in with good food, had great he was warded in Tan Tock Seng Hospital Alexandra Hospital, Kong Ruixue, who camaraderie, and allowed for tuberculosis. I remember visiting him is also a 76th descendant of the sage me to indulge in playing there when I was a first-year medical from Confucius’ hometown of Qifu with the toys, oops... the student. I had just started my Physiology in Shandong province. This unique tools, I mean, of the trade. The writer as a young child and he asked me the meaning of “identifier” allows me to boast of a blood I developed a principle learning from “vasoactive”. At that time, I had only link with the gold medallist of the Men’s to keep medical politics from grandfather sifu the art of Table Tennis in the Sydney Olympics, Kong learned of “vasoconstriction” and my life and when I found accuracy “vasodilatation” and told him I did not Linghui, who I can claim to be a cousin as least of it in Alexandra in surgery. know. He frowned and told me what it my generation’s middle name is Ling. Hospital, that was where I chose to was. That was my grandfather who had My father retired from Civil Service practise for 18 straight years - except for stopped practising medicine 40 years ago! in 1981. He and my mother played my HMDP at the Mayo Clinic. I was able competition bridge and represented to follow some of Confucius’ principles THE SON, DR KHONG KIT YEW Singapore. He also plays a mean game of (though I did not make a conscious effort My father, Dr Khong Kit Yew, moved the golf with a handicap that went as low as to do so) and could evaluate the whole family down to Singapore in a Mini 14. He just celebrated his 80th birthday medical scene from a distance. Those who Minor in 1962 when I was a Primary 3 and to recover from it, promptly made his worked in this last bastion of true public student. He joined the Ministry of Health way down to Perth for its solitude and service were secluded by choice from and was assigned as Medical Officer to (girl)friends. The family ties are strong in the increasing healthcare costs (and take- Trafalgar Home for lepers and ultimately Confucian tradition with the brothers and home salary) and to deliver good, logical became Senior Registrar. At that time, a sister (wife of the late Speaker of Parliament and cost-effective medicine to those there was only one dermatologist who Dr Yeoh Ghim Seng) visiting their eldest who could least afford it. With the was also the Medical Superintendent sister in an old folk’s home without fail restructuring of AH in October 2000 and of TH. Nobody wanted to work in the every weekend. This eldest sister, Soh Gaik, its competing head-on with all the other leprosarium. After joining the hospital my recently passed away at the age of 87 years. hospitals, health practice focus changed father never asked for posting out as he and it became business practice to knew it was difficult to find another doctor THE GRANDSON administrators. We felt that the “cheese to work there. He was highly respected My life did not follow any ancestral stars had moved”, and so did many of us. In by staff and patients and is still active considering that I basically floated a more elaborate article coming out in SILRA (SIngapore Leprosy Relief into things, which were to shape it.