Historical Snippets of OBGYN from the Ancestral House of Dr Alejandro Legarda, Filipino Obstetrician and Gynecologist

摘要

Fresh from the memories of my visit to Washington D.C. for the FIGO 16th World Congress in Obstetrics and Gynecology from 4 to 9 September 2000, I marveled at the superb collection of books by Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), held now in the Library of Congress, Washington D.C. Thomas Jefferson was the third President of USA (1801-1809) who was reputed to have read all the English books and works published in the world in his times. I wonder whether I could easily find another person who could indeed have his whole collection of books preserved intact posthumously (without public aid) during this modern era. I needed not look far.Soon after with much serendipity, during my visit to Manila, Philippines for the 11th Congress of FAOPS (Federation of Asia-Oceania Perinatal Societies) from 2 to 6 October 2000, I stumble upon such a treasure. This was during a chance private dinner invitation by Congress colleagues to the ancestral home of the late Dr Alejandro R Legarda, an obstetrics and gynecology professor, in the immediate outskirts of the Presidential Palace of Malacanang. I was treated not only to sumptuous fine dining but also to an interesting experience of his rich and varied life, re-living one of Manila's most elegant eras, complete with the heirloom recipes, doting staff, and family collections of china, glassware and silverware and a house filled with priceless works of art, books and memorabilia.Built in 1937 by Filomena Roces vda de Legarda, the Legarda house was one of the first Art Deco Houses built in Metro Manila. It is located at 315, San Rafael Street, San Miguel, Manila. This neighborhood was once Manila's most elegant district. In this house, Alejandro Legarda (son of Filomena Roces Legarda) lived with his wife Ramona Hernandez (Tita Moning) and also raised four children to practice the noblest profession he knew - Medicine. Alejandro Legarda Sr., M.D (1902-1993) was a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila (the oldest existing university in Asia, founded in 1611 and probably the largest Catholic university in the world located in one campus).1 He was a respected OB-Gynecologist, avid photographer, and accomplished Ham Radio Operator. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He treated soldiers from both the American and Japanese sides during the war. Dr Legarda was a man who has lived though turbulent times in Philippines (under the control of Spanish, American, Japanese, American and then the local Philippines authorities) and he was the president of the Philippines Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1964. What could be found inside the house was an impressive collection of medical books including books relating to OBGYN for the past century. The books in his library were truly an eye opener and gave an insight to the learned qualities of this man. Besides journals and examination notes, a quick scan in the bookshelf revealed many books in obstetrics and gynecology, some of which are listed in Table 1. There were the Spanish, American and British OBGYN books. It was interesting to note in a receipt that some recent books were acquired by him from a cooperative with a sum of 15 to 25 pesos. His books (with an occasional British one towards the later part of the century) showed the predominant influence on American OBGYN practice on him and Filipino OBGYN practice. This was in contrast to the practice at my hospital - the KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore (formerly the world's busiest maternity hospital in the 1950s to 1970s) where the predominant influence was British, understandably so as Singapore was Britain's former colony (1819 to 1963). The first OBGYN (or O&G in Singaporean lingo) professor in Singapore (1922 to 1948) was Prof JS English (1890-1971) who was an Irish and a past Assistant Master (1919-1921) of Rotunda Hospital (the Dublin Lying-in Hospital). On the other hand, Singapor