The inspiration for this blog

This blog provides some basic textbook-like knowledge based on every day experience. It is hoped that the content will enlighten the reader in basic teaching and furnish basis for well-provided hospital work. Currently, there is no book available which guides a qualified anaesthesiologist working in smaller nursing homes and in district and mofussil hospitals. All the practical difficulties and ways to remedy them or meet them are tackled in the current text.
After my return from the United Kingdom while on the threshold of leaving a full-time job, I was faced with the mountainous task for collecting equipment for private practice in smaller nursing homes. At this juncture I had an opportunity to meet Mr. M. R. Rao and his father. Both of them were friendly, knowledgeable, and gave me well-directed advice as also provided me with all basic equipment needed to start on my own. I am proud to state that I am still using the first bellows unit manufactured by him. Mr. M. R. Rao was truly a friend for a practising Anaesthesiologist starting on his own. Knowing the financial encumbrances that a novice faces he never insisted on advance payment for equipment. This was not solely my own experience but also of others whom I directed to his establishment “Anaesthetics”.
Always keen on being in step with the advances in Anesthesiology, Mr. Rao was very obliging about satisfying all his patrons with any kind of technological information or equipment that was needed. Shopping for new gadgets in Anaesthetics was my favourite hobby, which made me frequent Anaesthetics. He too was very good at reciprocating my interests. I could count on a telephone call from him as soon as any rare item arrived at the Anaesthetics. During my practice I felt the growing necessity of a ventilator. I remember pestering him to manufacture one. Ultimately he did succeed in manufacturing an indigenous ventilator and was open to any criticism. This was true of any apparatus or gadget that was manufactured by his establishment. Any constructive suggestions or modifications suggested to him were promptly implemented. I do not recall any single person who was unhappy with Mr. Rao of Anaesthetics. Over the years Anaesthetics has grown tremendously yet the basic principle of providing helping hand to private practising anaesthetists remains the guiding principle. The various products manufactured are helpful to the anaesthetists. “Anaesthetics” also provide the day-to-day anaesthetic drugs. This noble and helpful friend suddenly left this world without any illness or any warning of any serious illness.
His brother, Mr. Mundkur, is now carrying forward the good work done with the same zeal.
I am also indebted to some senior surgeons with small nursing homes who encouraged me to write my experiences. The surgeons definitely found the difference between the anaesthetist in private practice and those in teaching hospitals. The adaptability and compromise was totally missing in teaching hospital. The similar situation was easily tackled by anaesthesiologist in private practice without any compromise towards the safety of the patient.
Last but not in the least, this book has taken shape due to my wife’s encouragement to jot down all the interesting cases and how I surmounted them. She persuaded me to write a book. Writing another text book did not appeal to me. But in later years I did find the necessity of writing for posterity. There are plenty of textbooks on the shelves of teaching hospital libraries but practical hints are never elaborated in textbooks.

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