Dr. Jack Preger
Street Medicine - Calcutta - Kolkata - India
An On-line E-book About the Life and Work of
Jack Preger, MBE - Founder of the Charity "Calcutta Rescue"
By Basil McCall
The Pavement Doctor of Calcutta
"Interesting, Incisive and Inspirational'"
Photo of Jack Preger courtesy of Magnum Photos
This web site contains comprehensive information and previously unpublished facts about Dr. Jack Preger, MBE. Based on many hours of private interviews, it comprises an E-book of 17 chapters set in various parts of this huge city, and presents as a dialogue between the British doctor and the author.
For the most part, it is recorded here just as it was spoken in the various locations. It covers his childhood; his family; his time as a farmer in Wales; the strange events that led him to study medicine as a mature student, and his early years as a doctor in tragic circumstances in Bangladesh, which led to his expulsion from the country.
It follows his subsequent journey to India, where after working briefly for Mother Teresa, he set up and operated an extraordinary medical clinic at the side of the road for 14 years, his time in Alipore Jail, and his tireless work, for the poor of Kolkata - ongoing to this day at the age of 81.
He talks frankly and openly about many topics of interest to many people, unveils his personal beliefs; his own fears and failures; his philosophies, his skeptical attitude to the Church and off-the-shelf religious faiths, death and dying; the ensemble often spiced with a refreshing sense of humour.
The book proper follows a general introduction and a 'Reader's Digest' article, which renders a compelling overview of his daily work.
To skip the introduction and proceed directly to the first chapter, please click here.
Author's notes:
The original interviews date to the early 1990's and some of Jack's comments and opinions will have been superseded by later events and changes.
I have not tried to correct or update these, as the central message of the book is anyway perennial and unchanging. Numerous place names in the city have also been changed since this was written, such as "Dum Dum" airport in chapter 17, which is now known as "Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport" In the same way, I have left all of these in their original form in order to preserve the originality of the text.
Cossipore Clinic (described in Chapter 4) no longer operates, but four urban clinics currently serve the poor, together with Mobile Clinics, a Street Medicine Programme, two schools, an Arsenic Mitigation Programme, a Vocational Training Programme including Weaving Mills, and a Fair Trade Certified Handicrafts project.
For the most part, it is recorded here just as it was spoken in the various locations. It covers his childhood; his family; his time as a farmer in Wales; the strange events that led him to study medicine as a mature student, and his early years as a doctor in tragic circumstances in Bangladesh, which led to his expulsion from the country.
School photograph of Jack Preger (centre left) aged 18 at Stand Grammar
Whitefield School, Church Lane, Manchester England.
Image courtesy of David Levy
Whitefield School, Church Lane, Manchester England.
Image courtesy of David Levy
It follows his subsequent journey to India, where after working briefly for Mother Teresa, he set up and operated an extraordinary medical clinic at the side of the road for 14 years, his time in Alipore Jail, and his tireless work, for the poor of Kolkata - ongoing to this day at the age of 81.
He talks frankly and openly about many topics of interest to many people, unveils his personal beliefs; his own fears and failures; his philosophies, his skeptical attitude to the Church and off-the-shelf religious faiths, death and dying; the ensemble often spiced with a refreshing sense of humour.
The book proper follows a general introduction and a 'Reader's Digest' article, which renders a compelling overview of his daily work.
To skip the introduction and proceed directly to the first chapter, please click here.
Author's notes:
The original interviews date to the early 1990's and some of Jack's comments and opinions will have been superseded by later events and changes.
I have not tried to correct or update these, as the central message of the book is anyway perennial and unchanging. Numerous place names in the city have also been changed since this was written, such as "Dum Dum" airport in chapter 17, which is now known as "Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport" In the same way, I have left all of these in their original form in order to preserve the originality of the text.
Cossipore Clinic (described in Chapter 4) no longer operates, but four urban clinics currently serve the poor, together with Mobile Clinics, a Street Medicine Programme, two schools, an Arsenic Mitigation Programme, a Vocational Training Programme including Weaving Mills, and a Fair Trade Certified Handicrafts project.
Enter main site and introduction here
Site navigator here
For an overview of Jack's work, and of Calcutta Rescue see : www.jackpreger.com
