Shaw Loo (; 1 January 1839 – 10 October 1929) was the first Western-trained Burmese physician. He was the first Burmese student to study in the United States. He was the first Burmese to receive a Western medical degree, and Bucknell University awarded him an M.A. degree, making him the first Burmese to receive a post-graduate master's degree. Shaw Loo is regarded as the "father of modern medicine" in Myanmar.

Early life

Shaw Loo was born on 1 January 1839 to an ethnic

Mon Mon, MON or Mon. may refer to: Places * Mon State, a subdivision of Myanmar * Mon, India, a town in Nagaland * Mon district, Nagaland * Mon, Raebareli, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India * Mon, Switzerland, a village in the Canton of Grisons * A ...

family, in

Moulmein Mawlamyine (also spelled Mawlamyaing; , ; ; , ), formerly Moulmein, is the fourth-largest city in Myanmar (Burma), ''World Gazetteer'' southeast of Yangon and south of Thaton, at the mouth of Thanlwin (Salween) River. Mawlamyine was an ancien ...

then under

British rule The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or dire ...

. He was the eldest son of Shwe Thet and Pwa Hla. His mother, Pwa Hla, was a great-granddaughter of Barai-Vati, Duke of Myawaddy, and a younger brother of King Binnya Dala. His father Shwe Thet taught Burmese to British officers. After his parents divorced in 1854, his relatives had to care for Shwe Loo for the next few years.

Career

In 1857, when he was 17, Shaw Loo left for

Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...

for university. During the

Indian Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the form ...

in 1858, he traveled to the United States on a ship, working as a cabin boy. As he had no money, he took on odd jobs to make a living until he was able to go to the University at Lewisburg (now Bucknell University) in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

. There he studied Greek, Latin, philosophy, history, and science. He became the university's first international student. He enrolled at

Cleveland Medical College Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a Private university, private research university in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was established in 1967 by a merger between Western Reserve University and the Case Institute of Technology. Case ...

and received his medical degree in 1867, becoming the first western-trained Burmese physician. In the same year, the University of Lewisburg also awarded him an M.A. degree. In 1867, Shaw Loo met President

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. The 16th vice president, he assumed the presidency following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a South ...

, and persuaded him to write a recommendation letter to King Mindon. Upon his return to Burma, Shaw Loo was received by King Mindon in Mandalay. The king allowed him to stay in the north royal garden, and offered him a position at the royal court. However, Shaw Loo declined the offer. He only stayed at the palace for about 20 days before returning to Moulmein, where he spent most of his professional life serving patients and educating students. In February 1878, he compiled a medical book called ''Painkiller''. It was published by U Ni at the Moulmein Aswe Printing House. Shaw Loo was baptized by

Adoniram Judson Adoniram Judson (; August 9, 1788 – April 12, 1850) was an American Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalist and later Particular Baptist missionary who worked in Burma for almost 40 years. At the age of 25, Judson was ...

. He died on 10 October 1929 in Moulmein at the age of 90.

Family

Shaw Loo was married twice. In 1869, while working as a teacher at Rangoon Government High School. He married Lucy Pereira, daughter of a British captain. They had seven children. His wife died while giving birth to the youngest child. After two years, he married Shwe Pwint, and the couple had three children.

Legacy

Ninety years after Shaw Loo's arrival at Lewisburg, the University of Lewisburg created Burma-Bucknell Weekends to honor its unique and long-lasting ties with Burma. From 1949 to 1966, 16 Burma-Bucknell Weekends were held; Burmese students from nearby colleges and personnel from the Burmese Embassy were invited as a symbol of friendship between the country and Bucknell. The Burma-Bucknell Bowl Award, a symbol of friendship between Burma and Bucknell, is awarded annually to students and academics who have made significant contributions to intercultural and international understanding.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaw Loo Burmese physicians 1839 births 1929 deaths Bucknell University alumni