Down Memory Lane - My Coimbatore.
Apothecary in Coimbatore.
This conversation took place some sixty odd years ago between myself and my Grandma .One day I asked her whether there were good Doctors in the town to attend in those days. She replied that they did not have "English Doctors" in olden days. But there was a Saibu (Muslim) Apothecary, who was the first to open a medical store in Coimbatore. The word looked funny and I consulted the Dictionary which gave the meaning "old name for one who prepares and sells drugs, now druggist". My grandma a sweet old lady was correct. I pursued further to know that later a Medical School was opened by the then British Government in Coimbatore. This was closed along with all Medical Schools in the Province when Licentiate medical education was replaced by University Degrees. This building was turned to accommodate the Government Arts College later on in 1853. I took my degree from this College after one hundred years. The District Headquarters Hospital, a heritage building, which is nearby to the College must have been built at that time only.

From the available information it seems that Coimbatore was not a healthy Town in olden days. Being nearer to the western ghats it was in the endemic Malarial belt. When BCG was introduced it was found more than 70% of the population showed positive to Tubarcular infection. Another dreaded disease was Plague which had visited the town on epidemic levels at least twice during the last century. The then British Government moved the population from crowded localities to out side the town. The Brahmins vacated their old Agraharams and established the new Brahmin Extension out side the Town, which is now known as Ram Nagar. Many rich people shifted to Uppilipalayam and Race course areas in east. Even today we will find Temples and Goddesses named after Plague. Plague Mariamman Koil is one of them.

As per the records Coimbatore District had been in the grip of famine in September 1877, and more than 200,000 people died of diseases along with the great famine during that period in the District.

It would be of surprise to the present generation to know that Coimbatore is in the seismic zone! The town experienced earth quake on February, 8, 1900. Many buildings including parts of Jail and a Christian Chappel near the old Railway Station were destroyed. One of my good friends used to tell that at one time there was a huge crater on ground running through the town from Thadagam extension (R.S.Puram) to Puliakulam. When I was young I have seen a running crack near Kumaraswamy Lake, for some distance, which was filled up later by the Municipality. Also I have seen a huge pit running for short distance in Puliakulam at the back side of Pakshiraja Studios. Old revenue records may shed more light on this subject.

I feel I must tell about famous names in Chemists and Druggists that were known in my younger days. N.Dase Gowder & Co., D.S.V.& Sons., Owned by D.S.Vasu Rao. Interestingly he did not have sons, but two daughters only! And Wilfred Periera a 24 hours shop. All the three were in Avinashi Road next to the old Railway gate. At R.S.Puram where we lived there were two shops one Manohar & CO., and the other Krishnaswamy & Co. But none of them I could find when I visited Coimbatore in 2006.

Now Coimbatore, fastest growing city in Tamil Nadu has Five Medical Colleges offering Degrees in Medical and health sciences. A number of Clinics and Hospitals with modern facilities have made this City an important medical centre in the state.

What a change indeed.