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The Mahatma
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Dr H.M. DesaiWhen Gandhiji established his ashram at Ahmedabad on the banks of the Sabarmati
When Gandhiji established his ashram at Ahmedabad on the banks of the Sabarmati, I was appointed his and the ashramites’ medical adviser. Of course, as doctor, I took only second place, because to experiment was one of the Mahatma’s creeds and there was hardly any patient on whom he did not try his hand before turning him or her over to me. Gandhiji had returned from a tour of the South and had taken it into his head to try eating raw gram (soaked in water overnight). After a few days of this experiment I received a message from Mahadev Desai to visit the Ashram. Accordingly I went there. Mahadevbhai met me outside Gandhiji’s hut and told me that Bapu had taken to eating uncooked gram and was passing blood with his stools. He warned me not to tell Bapu that I had been asked to come, for fear he might chide Mahadevbhai for giving me unnecessary trouble. I was aware of Gandhiji’s temper. He never liked anyone to be bothered on his account. Now Mira Behn took me to the commode and , after examining the stools, I went to see Gandhiji. He looked surprised and asked what was the purpose of my visit. “I thought I would just drop in for you darshan as it is some time since I came here last", I replied. “Do you know, Doctor, Bapu is experimenting with eating uncooked gram?” asked Mahadevbhai. “What’s the harm? Do many people eat it?” said Gandhiji. “Only goats can digest raw gram,” I said. “We are all goats in this country. Where do you see tigers and lions?” retorted Gandhiji with his characteristic laugh. “But, Bapu, you are passing blood with your stools," interrupted Mahadevbhai. “That will stop in a few days. Why worry about it?” said Gandhiji. I pretended that I had not seen the stools and asked Mira Behn to show them to me, if they had still been preserved. I went out with her and reinspected the stools. Returning I told Gandhiji that there was a fairly large amount of blood in the stools and that uncooked gram did not agree with this system. “Every change of diet takes time for one’s system to get used to, doesn’t it?” he asked. “Of course,” I replied. “But it all depends upon how long it is since you began this experiment and whether the blood in the stools is getting less or more day by day.” “It is now two weeks since he took to gram and the loss of blood is increasing”, interrupted Mahadevbhai. “I am sure it will stop in a day or two”, said Gandhiji. “I hope it will”, I said. “But if it doesn’t?” “But I am sure it will!” the Mahatma insisted. “But suppose it doesn’t?” I continue. “We will see about it then”, was the reply. “I have a suggestion to make”, I said. “I will come again after two days and if the blood has not stopped you will have to carry out my instructions. Do you agree to that?” Gandhiji pondered over my suggestion for a while. He was so confident about the success of his experiment that he replied in the affirmative. With my pranams, I left. Kasturba and Mahadevbhai followed me. They both looked very worried. “What do you propose to do, Doctor?” asked Mahadevbhai. “The old man doesn’t listen to any one of us.” “Leave the matter to me, Mahadevbhai,” I said. “If the bleeding doesn’t’ stop within two days, Gandhiji has promised to follow my instruction and he will never break his promise. And, Ba, keep fresh curds ready on the day of my visit and don’t tell anyone about it. If the blood does not stop I will make Gandhiji swallow the curds and give up his experiment.” So saying I departed. They looked skeptical, but I was confident. I returned after two days and enquired of Gandhiji whether his stools were now free from blood. He replied in the negative, but added that it was getting less every day and would stop altogether in a few days. I went out with Mira Behn to inspect the stools. There was more blood than I had seen on my last visit. I went up to Gandhiji again and said: “I believe you are passing more blood than you did before.” “Maybe, but I am sure it will stop altogether in due course,” he replied. “Do you remember your promise?” “Do you want to tie me down to it?” “I do,” I said firmly. “What do you want me to do?” “I want you to drink a cup of curds and give up your experiment.” Bapu gazed at me for a while and said: “I must keep my promise. But how will you find curds in the Ashram at this hour?” he asked with a chuckle. I turned to Kasturba and asked her whether she could get fresh curds. “Plenty!” she replied, “we always have it!” The Mahatma looked surprised and said: “I didn’t’ think the Ashram was so well managed.” Gandhiji did not suspect that Kasturba was a party to the conspiracy! Curd was brought in and he drank a cupful. “Now I want to give you an injection, Bapu,” I said after he had taken the cuds. “Injection! Never! I don’t want dead germs to be introduced into my body.” “But I assure you this injection is a pure vegetable product”, I said. “If you are sure, I must submit to your wish,” he said resignedly. A syringe was sterilized and I gave him an injection of emetine. After a while I left, followed my Mahadevbhai. He tapped me on the back and said: “you have performed a wonder, Doctor. You alone have been able to tackle the old man. He wouldn’t listen to any one of us and was ruining his health and causing us worry.”