From Prescriptions to Punch Cards: An Unanticipated Pathway into the World of Computing

By Turrance Nandasara

On the morning of January 7, 1980, fresh out of university, I stepped into my first professional role as a Research Assistant at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo. I was assigned to the Department of Pharmacology under the guidance of Prof. N. D. W. Lionel, working on a World Health Organisation (WHO) project titled “Choice of Medicine.”

At the time, I had no idea that this project—rooted in pharmacology—would become the unlikely gateway to my lifelong journey in computer science.

Early Mornings and Manual Data Collection

Each day began before sunrise. From 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM, I visited ten wards at the General Hospital, manually copying patient prescription sheets. These records included:

• Patient age and sex
• Diagnosed illness
• Prescribed drugs, units, and daily dosage

Armed only with pen and paper, I documented everything with care. Interestingly, the hospital wards were far less crowded than they are today—many beds remained vacant, a quiet contrast to the bustling scenes we now associate with public healthcare.

The Challenge of Computation

Turrance Nandasara Using NOVA/04 Data General Mini Computer in 1980

My task was to produce monthly statistical reports on drug usage across the hospital. The sheer volume of data made calculators obsolete. That’s when I turned to computing.

Thanks to Prof. V. K. Samaranayake, I was granted access to the card punch machine at the Department of Mathematics. I manually punched each data point onto cards, which were then processed using the IBM System 360 Model 30 mainframe computer at the Census and Statistics Department. I wrote the FORTRAN programs myself—each line of code a step deeper into a world I was beginning to love.

A Turning Point: The NOVA/4 Minicomputer

On November 30, 1980, the Department of Mathematics acquired the Data General NOVA/4 minicomputer, equipped with a single dump terminal and a FORTRAN compiler. This was a game-changer. I could now process data locally, without relying on external mainframes. It was faster, more efficient, and deeply empowering.

I continued using the NOVA/4 for the “Choice of Medicine” project, now with greater speed and precision. What began as a pharmacological study had evolved into a personal transformation. I wasn’t just analysing drug usage—I was becoming fluent in the language of machines.

Reflections on a Defining Year

Looking back, 1980 was more than a job—it was a turning point. The early mornings, the handwritten sheets, the punch cards, and the hum of the NOVA/4 all shaped my trajectory. I had entered the world of medicine, but emerged with a passion for computing that would define the rest of my career.

This article in my life reminds me that sometimes, the most unexpected paths lead to the most meaningful destinations.