Colonial Medicine and Cholera: Historicizing Victorian Medical Debates in J.G. Farrell’s &lt;em&gt;The Siege of Krishnapur&lt;/em&gt;

Prashant Maurya,Nagendra Kumar

doi:10.22452/sare.vol57no2.5

Abstract

The present paper examines the use and description of colonial medicine for cholera and its practices in J.G. Farrell’s historical novel, The Siege of Krishnapur (1973). The paper shows that by engaging the two doctors stationed at the British residency in Krishnapur in a debate, Farrell contextualises an episode in British medical history to foreground popular medical beliefs on the aetiology of cholera and its treatment prevalent in nineteenth century Britain. The paper then argues that Farrell’s critique of an outdated medicinal theory and welcoming of the scientific future of colonial medicine simultaneously is an attempt to reinstate the position of “civilised medicine” in colonial India. It further establishes a vital link between Farrell and cholera by bringing in contemporary contexts, and discusses how cholera served as a dual tool to not only satisfy his compulsive interest in disease and doctors but also his aspirations for historical creativeness.

Highlights

The present discussion concerns the contextualisation of an episode in British medical history by James GordonFarrell in his novel The Siege of Krishnapur, to bring out popular medical beliefs on cholera and its treatment prevalent in nineteenth century Britain, using the traditional literary technique of dialogue
While the British termed the India system of medicine as superstitious as we see in the novel that the Government in Calcutta regards the circulation of chapati inside the residency, which was a foretoken for an upcoming revolt, as a superstitious attempt by the Indians to avert the cholera epidemic, it is clear that their own medical understanding of diseases like cholera was unscientific
Varied opinions on the root cause of cholera and its treatment are visible in the early nineteenth century, due to a lack of empirical evidence

Summary

Introduction

Farrell in his novel The Siege of Krishnapur, to bring out popular medical beliefs on cholera and its treatment prevalent in nineteenth century Britain, using the traditional literary technique of dialogue. It is argued that Farrell’s critique of an outdated medical theory and welcoming of the scientific future of British medicine simultaneously is an attempt to reinstate the position of “civilised medicine” in colonial India.

Results

Conclusion