Dr. Surya Pada Dey was a revered Homoeopath from Kolkata, West Bengal, who had also been a top student during his training years. He was a popular teacher, a brilliant orator and an acclaimed clinician.
Birth and Family Background:
Dr. S.P. Dey was born on 23rd June, 1931, in the village of Kapilmuni, located in the Kulna district of what is now Bangladesh, previously known as East Pakistan. His family frequently faced financial constraints but that did not keep him from working hard as a student. At times, he had to engage in physical labour to support his studies. Dr. S.P. Dey left his village and came to Kolkata for his preliminary studies in 1950. He was without any support here. He made ends meet by teaching school and college students and other part-time jobs.
Homoeopathic influence:
Dr. S.P. Dey was once affected by typhoid in his childhood. He was taken to an allopathic physician but he was not responding to the treatments. He was later given homoeopathic medicines by another physician in his village, which not only cured him but also gave the profession, a young promising clinician for the future.
Homoeopathic career:
He got admitted to the DMS course at D N De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata. This was a 3-year-long diploma course. He passed with honours in Pathology in the DMS Part I examinations and with the highest marks in Practice of Medicine and Organon of Medicine in his DMS Part II examinations. In 1957, he passed his final DMS exams with flying colours and received a gold medal for achieving the first rank in the state of West Bengal.
He received the direct care and guidance of Dr. Mahendra Chandra Laha, an Allopathic physician who had converted to Homoeopathy. He was also motivated by acclaimed physicians like Dr J.N. Majumdar, Dr J.M. Roy Chowdhuri, Dr N.M. Chowdhury, Dr D.N. Chatterjee, Dr N.K. Chakraborty, Prof. B.K. Bose, Dr N.G. Saha, and Dr J.B. Mukherjee. After passing college, he also became a teacher at his alma mater.
While he got married in 1958, he was also admitted to the Royal London Homoeopathic College, Queen Square, London, from where he got the degree, D.F. Hom. He had the unique opportunity to learn directly from the esteemed Dr. D.M. Foubister and the talented Dr. John Weir. During this course, he earned accolades for his outstanding performances in clinical medicine, showcasing his exceptional skills and dedication, receiving two testimonials from Drs. Thompson Walker and D.M. Foubister. He ultimately got awarded the prestigious degree of D.F. Hom. (London) in 1959.
Upon returning from London, he went back to his village, where he was celebrated by the villagers and given a warm welcome. Here, he got involved in the spiritual domain for a couple of years. Thereafter, he went to Kolkata and became a full-time teacher at D N De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata.
He also taught at Metropolitan Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital and the National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH), Kolkata. He was the Honorary Senior Homoeopathic Physician at NIH and took weekly Saturday seminars with an interactive session. He ran his clinic at Amherst Street, Kolkata where he cured many chronic patients.
The Orator:
The lectures of Dr. S.P. Dey were spellbinding. He would speak without any notes, presentation or help for that matter, for hours. He would speak on miasmatic prescribing, Materia Medica, and Homoeopathic philosophy. He was known for his clinical acumen and had a command over the subject of the Practice of Medicine too.
Beginning in 1970, he captivated the homoeopathic community by sharing his insights and experiences in clear language. His presentations engaged the audience, who appreciated the depth of his knowledge. He consistently presented and shared his experiences at various seminars and symposiums, both nationally and internationally.
Contributions to Homoeopathy:
He authored several books and articles. Some of his works are-
- Essentials of Clinical Medicine
- Essentials of Principles and Practice of Homoeopathy
- A Guide to Case Taking & Case Recording
- Clinical Case Reports on Constitutional Prescribing
- Essays on Homoeopathy
- The Scope of Homoeopathy in Diabetes Mellitus
- Leukoderma and its Homoeopathic Approach
- The Scope of Homoeopathy in Epilepsy
- The X-ray Drug Picture
- Utility of past history in prescription and its therapeutic approach
- 50 Millesimal Scale Potency
- Bronchial Asthma
- Clinical Experience with Carcinosin
- Clinical Experience with some Nosodes
He was the Guest Editor of The Homeopathic Heritage for some years.
Demise:
Dr. SP Dey took Bengal Homoeopathy to newer heights, providing it with a distinctive shape. His guidance and teachings led many to perfect their art. His dedication not only made him the pride of Indian Homoeopathy but also paved the way to become one for many other Homoeopaths.
He passed away on 23rd January 2014.
Author
Prof. (Dr.) Subhas Singh1, Dr. Rumsha Tamkeen2, Dr. Vaishnavi Achrekar2, Dr. Vignesh S.2, Dr. Binay P. Singh2.
- Director, National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata
- Postgraduate scholar, National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata
