During the early part of the nineteenth century, most senior positions in the colonial medical services were occupied by Europeans. Only from 1855 were Indians allowed to occupy higher-level roles. However, public proclamations and official regulations did not always reflect British officials' sentiments and unofficial practices. In his book Race, Sex and Class, Ballhatchet discusses the case of a highly qualified, mixed-race (Eurasian) doctor who had been made assistant surgeon in the mid-nineteenth century. He soon fell foul of European prejudice, becoming the victim of a scandal. Although the allegations against him were eventually shown to have been groundless, if not malicious, the director-general of hospitals recommended that in order to avoid similar occurrences in the future, Indians and Eurasians ought not to be appointed to senior positions, regardless of their qualifications.