St. Hildegard of Bingen/ Hinduism

St. Hildegard of  Bingen (1098-1179) was a Benedictine abbess & polymath, active as a writer, composer, philosopher, mystic, visionary & as a medical writer & practitioner.

In 1146, she wrote to Bernard of Clairvaux, the great churchman of her day, about "The sacred sound through which all creation resounds" (similar to the "Anahata Nada" or Primordial Sound in Hinduism.) Also she wrote to him about "the Word from which all the world was created" (similar to the "Aum" in Hinduism, which means the essence of the cosmic world.)

Fritjof Capra, wrote how Holistic theory (as opposed to the Cartesian theory) was pioneered by Leonardo da Vinci. He extended this logic to the Systemic Model vs the Biomedical Model in Healthcare. But in 1158 itself, Hildegard  wrote "Causes & Cures & Physica", with emphasis on wholeness, balance & diet, anticipating the holistic view. Of course, the traditional Hindu system of Healthcare, Ayurveda, evolved much earlier, employed a holistic approach.

Between 1161-63, (when marriage was common among the clergy), she called for the clerics to lead celibate lives & distance themselves from the world. This mirrors the Hindu idea of celibacy being the "sine qua non" of any spiritual life.

She also supported meditation as the practice of reading aloud & pondering with the whole person - not only with memory, will & attention, but also with body, mind & spirit - on the meaning of the text. This is a reflection of "Sravana, Manana & Nididhyasana" of Vedanta, leading to "Tat Twam Asi."

Medical Care in 1950's Bangalore

At that time, it was primary & simple. Most of the medical practitioners were qualified only with L.M.P. (Licensed Medical Practioner) a much shorter course than M.B.B.S., which was acquired by only a handful of elite doctors. All these general practitioners were "single point contacts" in that they would not refer to further tests (no diagnostic labs). They would not even write out a prescription, but give out powders (probably pounded from tablets) & a liquid mixture in bottles like fever mixture, cold mixture etc., prepared by "compounders" employed by them.

In extreme cases, they might refer to specialists, of whom there were only one each in the whole city! For example, Dr Venkatasubba Rao was the only Cardiologist & Dr. Srinivasamurthy the only Orthopaedic Surgeon in the city. For dental problems, one would visit the Govt. Dental College. For life or death cases, there were only Govt. Hospitals. For Eye check-ups, Dr. Mekhri (near Lalbagh) was the only go-to  eye specialist, apart from the Minto Hospital. S. R. Gopala Rao was the only shop preparing & selling the spectacles.

Though the care was extremely elementary & unable to diagnose & cure many diseases which are easily cured now, the silver lining in the cloud was, none would recommend (probably avoidable) tests & treatments just to keep the diagnostic labs & other specialists busy & occupied. This trend started with the mushrooming of private "nursing homes", which were the precursors of the current Corporate Hospital Chains, who prioritise stockholder dividends over patient care & doctors' well being.

Famous French Fictional Female

Honore de Balzac wrote a classic novel called "Eugenie Grandet." The eponymous  character is the only child of Monsieur Grandet, a wealthy miser. When her cousin Charles visits her, she falls in love with him & they promise to marry. However Charles has to leave on a business trip. Meanwhile Eugenie's parents pass away & she is left a wealthy heiress. These events occupy the major part of the book.

However Charles on his return wants to be released from his engagement to marry a lady more suitable for his social ambition. He is also in debt. Eugenie, in her magnanimity,  releases him & also pays his debts.

The real nobleness of Eugenie's character comes out at this point. Though very wealthy, she dresses simply & has a frugal lifestyle, donating munificently to the local church. Monsieur le Cure of the Church visits her & advises her either to enter the convent or marry. She prefers to enter the convent. But the priest advises her to marry &  remain in the world because of her great wealth which is being distributed to the needy. She agrees & accepts Monsieur de Bonfons, a local luminary, who paid court to her but stipulating to him not to insist on his conjugal rights, as her memories were permanent & not likely to fade. He agrees, satisfied by a wealthy wife, who may advance his social upward mobility. However, he passes away a few years later, leaving Eugenie a wealthier widow. So the novel ends with Eugenie at 33, still beautiful, but with all the dignity that is acquired by suffering, & the saintliness of a person who has kept her soul unspotted by contact with the world & spending the rest of her life in philanthrophy.

Eugenie's demeanour reminds one of the famous opening lines of George Eliot's "Middlemarch" in which the heroine, Dorothea Brooke is described thus: "She had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress. She could wear sleeves not less bare of style than those in which the Blessed Virgin appeared to Italian painters; her profile as well as her stature & bearing seemed to gain the more dignity from her plain garments."