Robert Brocklesby Davis
Robert Brocklesby Davis M.B.B.S. | |
|---|---|
| Superintendent of Central Institute of Psychiatry | |
| In office 11 March 1946 – 24 March 1955 | |
| Preceded by | Capt. C.W.E. Peters |
| Succeeded by | Dr. L. P Verma |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 December 1911 |
| Died | 7 October 1980 (aged 68) Charlottesville, US |
| Relations | Edith Turner (sister) Victor Turner (brother-in-law) |
| Education | Cambridge University |
Awards | Padma Shri 1966 |
| Military career | |
Rank | Honorary Lieutenant Colonel |
Conflicts | Battle of Shangshak |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Order 1944 |
| Medical career | |
| Institutions | Central Institute of Psychiatry |
Robert Brocklesby Davis (27 December 1911 – 7 October 1980) was a British-born psychiatrist known for his contributions to mental health care and education in India.
Early life and education
[edit]Davis was born on 27 December 1911 in Amritsar to Dr. George Brocklesby Davis, a missionary doctor, and Lucy Howard, a missionary schoolteacher.[citation needed] He was the eldest of eight children.[citation needed] In 1919, amidst political unrest against britishers in British India, his family relocated to Ely, England.[citation needed]
He was educated at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire and earned a B.A. in Anatomy, Physiology, and Psychology from Cambridge University in 1932.[1] Davis completed his M.R.C.S. & L.R.C.P. in 1935 and his M.B.B.S. from Cambridge in 1936.[1] During his house appointments at London Hospital in 1935-36, he received the London Hospital Prize in Clinical Medicine and Surgery.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]Indian Medical Service
[edit]Davis joined the Indian Medical Service in 1936 as a lieutenant, becoming a captain in 1937.[2] His interest in psychiatry led to his appointment as psychiatric specialist for the Northern Command from 1938 to 1942.[1]
During World War II, Davis served in the British Indian Army and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.[3] He commanded the 80th Indian Field Ambulance (Parachute) and led an evacuation of injured soldiers through the jungles of Nagaland under enemy fire.[3] For his courage, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1944.[4]
European Mental Hospital
[edit]In 1946, Davis became the superintendent of the European Mental Hospital in Ranchi.[5] Post-independence, he facilitated the renaming of the hospital to the Interprovincial Mental Hospital and opened it to Indian patients.[1] He reorganized the hospital, increasing its capacity to 600 beds, and later, it was renamed the Central Institute of Psychiatry.[1] During his time at the hospital, the renowned Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was briefly treated before being sent to Europe for further care.[6] Davis introduced several firsts in Indian psychiatry:
- The use of electroencephalography in 1948.[6]
- The introduction of psychosurgery in Ranchi, collaborating with military surgeons in the absence of a neurosurgeon.[6]
- Early trials of new psychiatric treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy and insulin coma therapy.[6]
He conducted research on cultural and epidemiological differences in psychiatric disorders among Indian patients.[1] From 1947 to 1950, Davis traveled to London periodically, earning a Diploma in Psychological Medicine in 1950 while working part-time at the Maudsley Hospital and Institute of Neurology, London.[1]
Kishore Nursing Home
[edit]In 1955, Davis left Central Institute of Psychiatry and, along with his wife Aleyamma Eapen, established the Kishore Nursing Home, later renamed the Davis Institute of Neuropsychiatry, in Ranchi.[7] The nursing home was named after his friend, Maharaj Kumar Raj Kishore Shahdeo.[8] Aleyamma, a trained psychiatric nurse, had been the matron of the European Mental Hospital and the first Indian nurse sent to London for psychiatric training.[1] Together, they built one of India’s leading private psychiatric hospitals.[7]
Contributions to psychiatry
[edit]Davis co-founded the Indian Psychiatric Society in 1947, serving as its first Secretary until 1953 and as President in 1954.[8] He also contributed to drafting the Mental Health Act, 1987.[9] Davis was a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK, and represented India at international conferences, including the World Congresses of Psychiatry in Paris (1950) and Montreal (1961).[1] Davis became an Indian citizen in 1948.[1] In recognition of his contributions to psychiatry and mental health, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1966.[10]
Death
[edit]Robert Brocklesby Davis died on 7 October 1980 in Charlottesville, in the United States, after a sudden coronary thrombosis while visiting his sister.[11] To honor his legacy, the R.B. Davis Oration was established by the Indian Psychiatric Society – Eastern Zonal Branch.[12] This oration is delivered annually at the society's conference.[12]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Indian Journal of Psychiatry. Indian Psychiatric Society. 1980.
- ↑ Office, Great Britain War (1938). The Half-yearly Army List ... H.M. Stationery Office. p. 1.
- 1 2 "50 Indian Parachute Brigade (1943-1944)" (PDF). Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ↑ Catalogue description Recommendation for Award for Davis, Robert Brocklesby Rank: Captain Service... 1944.
- ↑ "Director's Desk". Central Institute of Psychiatry. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 Aich, Tapas Kumar; Das, Basudeb; Bhat, T. Sudhakar (2018). "Central Institute of Psychiatry: A fictional journey to past in a time machine". Indian Journal of Psychiatry. 60 (6): S288–S294. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_443_17. PMC 5836353. PMID 29527063.
- 1 2 "History of Davis Institute of Neuropsychiatry ,Ranchisful private psychiatric hospital, established in 1955, in Ranchi, India. It has both acute inpatient wards as well as a busy outpatient department. It is staffed by several dedicated, highly experienc". Davis Family Trust. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- 1 2 "About IPS | Indian Psychiatric Society". indianpsychiatricsociety.org. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ↑ "About Us". Central Institute of Psychiatry. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ↑ "Padma Awards | Interactive Dashboard". dashboard-padmaawards.gov.in. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ↑ "R B Davis, Dso, Frcpsych". The British Medical Journal. 281 (6249): 1224. 1980. ISSN 0007-1447. JSTOR 25441961.
- 1 2 "Awards | East Zone Indian Psychiatric Society". ipseastzone.org. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
