September 1977 is the dawn of Dermatology in the Medical history of Manipur. For the first time SKIN ( Dermatology) OPD was opened in the Old District Hospital, Imphal in September 1977. I was working there single-handed and four indoor beds for skin patients were allotted. At that time no qualified Dermatologist was there in the only teaching institution in the state.

As Dermatology was less taught in undergraduate courses in the early sixties, Doctors these days never cared to learn Dermatology and when they passed out, they could not say that they did not know skin diseases. In general practice, every 5th or 6th patient has some skin problems. The practising physician will always give some cocktail ointment to try. Is it correct? No, it never goes to the target and in the long run, it will worsen the condition. When the patient reaches the Dermatologist, the condition may be quite late and some of the conditions are irreversible.

It reminds me of my old experience when I joined the state service. In those days we young graduates work in almost all the specialities. In 1967 when I was posted in the surgery department under a surgeon I was assisting one minor operation to remove a non-healing ulcer on the right cheek. But today I came to know that it was undiagnosed Lupus vulgaris. Once a surgeon was bold enough to cut Condyloma Acuminatum (Venereal wart) from the prepuce and within one or two weeks it spread along the circumcision and corona. It looks like a ring of squamous cell papilloma. This patient turned up in my skin OPD and was treated with very good results.

Another case of Condyloma Acuminatum of the vulva was once admitted in the Obst. and Gynae. ward. The lady Gynaecologist was planning for a vulvectomy. This patient was in full-term pregnancy. That was in 1974,1 came home after my Diploma course ( D.D.V.) and once I met the lady surgeon in the market she requested me to examine the case. The patient was from Churachandpur and her husband was in the military service. Podophyllin was not available in Imphal. The husband managed to get from Calcutta by air. She was treated with 20% Tincture Podophyllin and completely cured before the delivery of her child.

Once a patient with Pulmonary TB had severe Stevens-Johnson syndrome with almost 30% burn-like peeling of skin. She had a drug reaction with Thiacetazone. As she was advised not to stop the medicine of TB without- the knowledge of the treating Physician, she continued it, as it was on the 2nd Saturday and Sunday, and she could not contact the Physician, she was admitted on Monday under me. Thiacetazone was
immediately stopped. A heavy dose of steroid parenterally was given and it was completely cured in a short period.

Now, we are having a degree course in Dermatology in the RIMS. JNIMS is also having a well-developed Dermatology Department. Patients have no problem in getting treatment for skin diseases. Dermatology is advancing and we are expecting better infrastructure and advancement.

– Dr. H. Devendra Singh