A History of the Indian Medical Service, 1600-1913/Chapter 13
CHAPTER XIII
THE FOUNDATION OF THE SERVICE
"He builded better than he knew."
R. W. Emerson, The Problem.
The Bengal Medical Service was founded by orders passed in the Fort William Cons. of 20th Oct., 1763, by which the individual medical officers then serving in the Bengal Presidency were, with effect from 1st Jan., 1764, combined into a regular medical establishment, with fixed grades, and definite rules for promotion from grade to grade. These orders run as follows:—
"At a consultation present
- The Honble Henry Vansittart, Esq. President.
- John Carnac, Esq.
- Warren Hastings, Esq.
- Randolph Marriott, Esq.
- Hugh Watts. Esq.
- * * *
"As there has never been any proper Establishment settled for the Appointment and Succession of the Surgeons employed under this Presidency.
"It is now agreed that the following Plan shall be established regulating their Number, Rank, and Succession and Appointments and that it shall take place the 1st Jany 1764—vizt.
"4 Head Surgeons to reside at Calcutta and have the Privilege of Company's Servants.[1] The two first to have the Hospital Contract.
"8 Surgeons of which the four eldest to be stationed at the Factories of Patna, Cossimbuzar, Chittagong and Dacca. And the other four to be Surgeons of the Army, and the whole of this Rank to succeed in Rotation to be Head Surgeons at Calcutta.
"28 Surgeons Mates who are to succeed in their Seniority to be Surgeons. Of these the eight eldest upon the list to live in Calcutta, the next Eight to be Surgeons Mates of the Army, and the other twelve to be Surgeons Mates of the Seapoys, one to each Battalion.
"Head Surgeons and Surgeons at the Subordinates[2] and the Army to have ten shillings a Day Pay, and the latter when in the Field to draw Captain's Batta.
"The Surgeons Mates at Calcutta to have 7/6 per Day each, those of Army and Seapoys 5/- a Day, and Lieutenants Batta when in the Field.
"Agreed that we write to the Court of Directors to send Us out some Surgeons Mates to compleat this Establishment."
The constitution of the Medical Service was reported to the Court of Directors at home in paras. 83 and 84 of a Letter from Fort William, dated 19th Dec, 1763.[3]
"Para. 83. Surgions, to encourage capable men to engage in the Service, they have fix'd the following rule of Preferment, wch they desire may be confirmed.
"1st. Four head Surgeons to be at the Presidency, to be allowed l0s a day each, and the two Senior of them to have the Hospital Contract.
"2nd. Four, with the same Allowance, to be stationed at Patna, Cossr, Dacca, and Chittigong, These to Rank next & Succeed ye head Surgeons in rotation.
"3rd, Four, with the like allowance, to attend the Army, who are to succeed in like manner at the Subordinates and the Presidency.
"4th. Twelve Surgeons Mates, the 4 Senior to attend the Hospitals, with an Allce of 7/6 a day, & the other 8 to attend the Army, with 5/- a day & the whole to succeed in turn to be Surgeons."
"Para. 84. Surgeons Mates it is recommended to appoint one to each Battlion of Seapoys who are sometimes Lost for want of Assistance. A Number of Young Men instructed in the rudiments of this profession, are desired."
It will be observed that, while the order of 20th Oct., 1763, provides for twenty-eight Surgeons' Mates, the report of 19th Dec. mentions only twelve. Presumably it was not found possible at first to appoint a sufficient number of Mates to allow one to each battalion of sepoys. The Court were therefore asked, in para. 84, to sanction such appointments, and to send out men to fill them.
The Madras and Bombay Medical Services appear to have come into existence at about the same time as the Bengal Service, But no orders regarding the formal constitution of these services appear in the Cons., Military or Civil, or in the Letters to the Court of Directors, of either Madras or Bombay, in the years 1763 and 1764.