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During my childhood days Dr. Kusha was our family doctor. From hindsight I
think this man had great qualities of head, heart and hand. As I try to picture
him he comes over like a simple down-to-earth type of character. Someone said
he was a dedicated doctor. Nay, I should say he was a medical missionary.
If one remembers correctly those were the days when maternity wards and
hospitals were far and few in between with the result most women in the
villages delivered at home. In such circumstances I remember having heard that
Dr. Kusha would have deliveries on “mol’lam” (woven coconut fronds).
Again times were different then and I remember Dr. Kusha calling out to
whosoever was there at home every time he passed by our house on a bicycle.
Sometimes he would drop in for a cup of black tea. He would call out to us
always by some nickname or the other and make fun of us.
Initially he had to visit his patients at home hence he was most of the time on
his cycle. Short in stature he had a peculiar way of riding the bike. He would
almost bend over the steering. Come rain come shine he would be on his bike
visiting his patients with a small bag hanging from the steering.
After some years people came to trust him and his curative powers. Moreover he
never hurt anybody when it came to payment. Some even got away free. Now
instead of he going to his patients, they started coming to him.
He was also lucky to get an efficient and good compounder (boticario) called
Carlu. The latter would ready the medicines. Everybody had to go with a bottle
and Carlu would mix things as per the prescription and voila in two days time
the patient would be fine. To me it appeared to be the same medicine for
everybody. Over the bottle the dosage cut from paper was neatly stuck. Time
permitting Dr. Kusha would even drop in at the patient’s house to enquire.
We kids were always happy to go to his clinic because he would give us syrups
and tonics etc which he had got as samples. Besides with us he had that
particular healing touch or “hat-gunn” as they say in Konkani. One touch of his
and the next day we were up and playing. In fact some times there was no need
even to visit him. Mum had to go and tell him the symptoms and he would always
give the right medicine.
But visiting him was also an entertaining experience. During those days Doctors
were allrounders or check-ups were holistic. Now there are specialists. He
would make you open your mouth wide (that’s why I still open my mouth even when
it is not necessary). He would shine the torch into our eyes. After that he
would make us lie down on a bench and would keep on pressing the stomach asking
“hang’ dukhta re?”, “hang’ dukhta re?”. And he would say something funny in
between.
He was a nice man. He never hankered for money nor for fame but worked
tirelessly with a missionary zeal for the health of the simple village folks
who almost adored him as a God. May God grant him eternal rest!
Richard Cabral
---- JoeGoaUk <joego...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
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Goodbye Dr Kusha
I read a letter in Herald dtd 17/2/10 by Dr. Francis Colaco
(see quoted below)
I would like to know more about late Dr. Kusha, including places of
practice or clinics.
I am sure many from the South, particularly from Salcette remember
the good-hearted doctor.
Dr. Kusha seems very popular name (in 70/80s).
I don’t know if he is the one who had his dispensary on NH17 just
before Nagoa Verna.
(his son use to practice there also, but again I doubt it).
Charging Re.1 or Rs.2 or 3? He must be a different kind of doctor
who worked not for money but humanity.
I wish I knew it before. At least, I would have visited him while he was
alive.
Any info, including pic if any would be of great help.
Thank you
====
Goodbye Dr Kusha
Dr Francisco Colaco, Margao
Dr Kusha Kudchadkar, the revered Esculapian from Borda,
Margao, passed away a few days ago at the ripe age of 90.
To those who may not have known him, he was a family physician, the
‘João Semana’ par excellence.
He belonged to the old guard, a model doctor, kind, hard-working and
good-hearted.
He practiced with honesty, dignity and compassion. He never looked
at financial rewards.
His patients either paid him just Rs1, 2 or 3 – whatever they chose to
place in his pocket – or nothing at all.
Everyday he saw nearly 500 patients in his various clinics.
In between, he attended house-calls. Sometimes, he dropped in late at
night to see a patient.
The word ‘rest’ was not in his vocabulary.
He also brought in a healthy dose of cheer to everyone.
His patients mainly belonged to the scheduled tribes, and adored him
like a demi-God.
Just the other day, when I met a few, they had not stopped shedding
tears for ‘Kusha dotor’.
This is what they said: “Oslo dotor sonvsarant kednach mellchona.”
Peace to his beautiful soul
http://oheraldo.in/newpage.php?month=2&day=17&year=2010&catid=13
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