Who discovered saline (ORS) for cholera/diarrhea

১৮ ই জানুয়ারি, ২০০৯ বিকাল ৪:১৫

Dear conscience citizens of the global village,



As a microbiologist and former employee of ICDDRB, my curious mind always used to ask “who discovered the ORS (oral rehydration saline) for diarrhea management?” while working at ICDDRB I inquired senior fellows/scientists about this issue. But the answer was always disappointing. When ICDDRB was celebrating the Gates Award for life saving discovery of ORS, I thought, this time, I would learnt the fact. But my curiosity was shattered.



Finally, I have discovered the discoverer of ORS who first successfully treated dirarrheal patients and published his ground-breaking simple recipe in the Lancet in 1953. Shockingly, he was almost forgotten until the publication of the history of ORS in medical history (Medical History, 1994, 38: 363-397). It writes:



“It is generally agreed that racism or the lack of a "scientific" rationale prevented the widespread adoption of his work”



But most of the credit goes to Nalin and Cash who were the first to demonstrate oral therapy as a practical therapeutic alternative to parenteral therapy in April 1968 based on field trial, performed at ICDDRB, Matlab, Chandpur, Bangladesh. They have got all the accolades worldwide.



Even Wikipedia did not spare a single line about Hemendra Nath Chatterjee (A bangalee from Calcutta, west Bengal) who first formulated and demonstrated the effectiveness ORS for diarrhea management.





Same thing is true for Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose who was not credited for discovery of radio communication for long time. He might not be honored in the world for that discovery, but at least we know about this story and respect him. According to Wikipedia:



“Bose’s place in history has now been re-evaluated, and he is credited with the invention of the first wireless detection device and the discovery of millimetre length electromagnetic waves and considered a pioneer in the field of biophysics”



Alas! Hemendra Nath Chatterjee is not even remembered, let alone honored. It would be ungrateful and unethical if we don’t pay tribute to him.



How should we pay tribute to Hemendra Nath Chatterjee?



His name should be placed in the text book in our country in the relevant area. In the Universities, his discovery should be discussed. More importantly, ICDDRB should acknowledge his contribution along with other contributors.



Regards,



Medical history: Magic bullet: The history oral rehydration therapy:

Click This Link



Title: Control of vomiting in cholera and oral replacement of fluid.

Chatterjee HN

Source citation: Lancet, 1953 Nov 2;2(6795):1063.

Abstract: “Control of the vomiting symptom of cholera was attempted by treatment with avomine followed by rehydration. In back-to-back cholera epidemic years in India, 59 cases and 127 cases in 1952 and 1953, respectively, were treated with avomine (25 mg; 14 mg of promethazine base and 11 mg of 8-chlorotheophylline); vomiting was often checked with use of only 1 tablet, although up to 6 tablets were administered in 1 case. Because vomiting was easily controlled by avomine, oral rehydration was possible, and the fluid replacement solution used was 4 gm of sodium chloride, 25 gm of glucose and 1000 ml of water. To check diarrhea, which avomine does not do, these cases were given the leaf juice of an Indian plant, Coleus”(for info, Neem leaf)

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