A Surgeon Twoe and a Barber by McDonald, Donald provides a historical account of the Indian Medical Service (IMS) from its beginnings under the East India Company in 1600 to its dissolution in 1947. The book traces how a small body of company surgeons evolved into a structured military and civil medical service central to British administration in India. It examines the dual responsibilities of IMS officers as both army doctors and public health officials, often working in difficult climates and remote postings. McDonald describes their involvement in major campaigns against diseases such as cholera, plague, and malaria, as well as their contributions to medical research, hospital organization, and medical education. The narrative also reflects on the social life, professional challenges, and ethical complexities faced by these doctors within the broader framework of British imperial rule in India.
