In a cable to Washington, the then US Ambassador Daniel Moynihan said Dr Hari Vaishnava, professor of medicine, gave them the information that there were at least 1,700 people admitted to Maulana Azad Medical College, associated with Irwin and Pant hospitals, at any given point of time.
The US mission here relayed the information to Washington after one Dr Ralph Yodaiken, Professor of Pathology in Emory Medical School in Atlanta, sought information about the diabetic clinic in the medical college here.
"Diabetic Clinic has been in existence for last 12 years. Records of over 7,000 patients available. Modern facilities available including Radio Immunoassay of Insulin. So far over 50 publications on Diabetic," the cable on December 21, 1973, said.