"In November 1919, a resolution was moved in the Local legislative Council urging the Government to take measures to check the spread of leprosy in the provinces. The Government considered that the first step to be taken was to provide accommodation for about half the total lepers in the Presidency at selected centres for groups of districts. As originally contemplated, the existing asylums under private management were to be subsidised and enlarged for the purpose, but this was since found impracticable as the Mission to Lepers, which maintained most of these institutions, was strongly opposed to their utilisation for the purpose of compulsory segregation. The question whether this central institution should take the form of an asylum or a settlement for lepers was then discussed, but was left over for further consideration. The Mission to Lepers strongly advocated Leper Settlements or Colonies as being economical and efficient where large numbers of lepers had to be accommodated."

"As long ago as 1913, the Government, after careful consideration decided that the Lepers' Act III of 1898 should be brought into force throughout the Presidency, as soon as arrangements could be made for the reception of pauper lepers. For this purpose, it was intended (1) to establish a Government Leper Asylum at Chingleput, and (2) to make use of existing private asylums for the compulsory segregation of lepers. Plans and estimates amounting to Rs 342,861 for the construction of pukka buildings for an asylum for 300 patients at Chingleput were sanctioned in 1917, but owing to the financial stringency created by the war, it was not possible to proceed with the scheme."
"The scheme for a settlement at Chingleput received a further stimulus under the following circumstances. Her Excellency Lady Willingdon, on visiting the leper hospital at Tondiarpet, was struck by the unsuitable buildings and arrangements generally, and, interesting herself in the matter, consulted the Surgeon-General, who agreed to the proposal to remove the lepers from Madras to a settlement in the Muffassal. The two sites hitherto proposed for the settlement having been found too small, a new 500 acre site (now part of a reserved forest) was inspected by their Excellencies, the Chief Engineer, the Collector of Chingleput, and the Rev Mr Sutherland and approved as suitable. Her Excellency, in the meantime, approached the Red Cross Society with the request that they should devote a portion of their funds to this undertaking and succeeded in obtaining from them a contribution of one lakh."

"Unlike most leprosy institutions in India, the Tirumani Leper Settlement is one which, in addition to its usual work, is associated with organisations which carry out research and investigations, both in rural and urban areas, amongst children and adults, thus presenting valuable facilities to study the disease and its problems at bed side, laboratory, and in villages.

It was a pleasure and privilege to be allowed to study the tremendous amount of work done in this institution. Relevant figures for the year are stated below: New admissions 268; No of discharges as bacteriologically negative 141; Bacteriological examination done 4,522; Biopsy made 63; No of cases admitted to the hospitals 358; No of out patients 200.

Special Studies: Control of lepra fever, Treatment of ulcers, Lepromin test, Effect of diet on nerve and bone pain, Diet to help bacteriologically positive cases to become negative, Clinical and histological studies of incipient cases and cases in the indeterminate stage between tuberculoid and lepromatous, Therapeutic effect of indigenous and foreign drugs.

This is also a teaching institution. The clinical material obtainable for the purpose is abundant. I only wish that the service of a chemist could be available.

The large number of investigations carried out by the Chief Medical Officer at different places can only be carried out successfully if he is given more trained and experienced assistants; otherwise either the interest of the institution has to be sacrificed or the investigations and other activities have to be curtailed.

The last time I was here was in 1929. This is 1939. I know who is responsible for all these improvements. This gentleman has often told me that it is his ambition to train a band of Indians to take charge of the work. I may hope that by 1949, this pious hope of Dr Cochrane would have been fulfilled as according to my experience here, the material is not wanting."

"A rural area 23 miles south of Chingleput has recently been chosen for experimental work and nine villages selected in which to commence intensive work. There are nine villages in the group. The total population of the group is 4,894 and 177 people were detected with leprosy. Two plots of land have been selected within two miles of the villages surveyed and on one, administrative treatment and staff blocks have been built. On the other plot, the houses for segregating infectious cases from the villages will be built. The group of buildings consisting of the staff houses, laboratory and centre are separated by the road from the area which will be known as the segregation village. As a first step after choosing the area in which concentrated work was to be undertaken, we verified the preliminary survey figures and a much more intensive investigation is now in progress. For this purpose, the largest village in the area, Polambakkam, has first been chosen. Every house in each street is systematically visited and every person examined. Thus as far as possible, the conditions under which the villages live will be ascertained.

After the intensive survey has been completed, an attempt to segregate all infectious cases among males will begin. These will be expected to stay in the segregation area, but if their employment is such as not to endanger the health of the community (especially children), they will be allowed to continue their work, provided they return to the Segregation Camp to sleep at night. The difficulty of segregating both men and women in the same area will be apparent and the impossibility of adequate village segregation for the infected child is obvious, therefore the infected cases among children and women will be transferred, where possible to the lady Willingdon Leprosy Sanitarium. In so far as the crippled cases must be cared for, all such will be asked to live in the segregation area so that their ulcers may be looked after, and thus an alternative to institutional segregation for these cases, we hope will be found.

By this method of partial segregation, it is hoped that leprosy will come under control, in the selected group of villages. If the scheme is successful, it will point the way to a possible method of control in rural areas of the Presidency."

"Brief Address to Mahatma Gandhiji

On behalf of workers and supporters of the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association, - which I hope will one day become the Indian Leprosy Investigation Association, I have the great honour to tender to you very cordial greetings, and to express our deep appreciation of the practical way in which you are seeking to bring about a solution to the terrible problem of leprosy in India, - and in particular by specifing anti-leprosy work as Number 17 in your Constructive Programme for India, and by permitting the new Home for Women and Children in S Arcot to bear the name of Kasturba.

In my second sentence I would venture to request you, on behalf of the 750 inmates of the Sanatorium at Chingleput, very kindly to give specific instructions that when your train returns to Madras on Feb 4th, it stop for a few moments, or else proceed at dead-slow speed, while passing the boundary fence of the Sanatorium, two miles short of Chingleput Junction, so that the patients may see you; in emphasising the great satisfaction and happiness this would bring, I feel sure we are speaking to the converted!

The following page contains the signature amd Greetings of Mahatma Gandhiji: "my good wishes to all the leper patients"

As M Gandhi could not pesonally visit the Sanatorium, - although he has very kindly assured me that his train will stop while passing the Sanatorium boundary fence on Feburary 4th, which will virtually count as a "visit", - he was good enough to receive this morning a deputation of BELRA and other leprosy workers at 11.15 am (today) in Madras, and he expressed his thanks and gave us the assurance of his support and help, recognising that a case of leprosy is also a cause.

"I am very glad to revisit this place after several years, and to see the fine buildings coming up to completion. I am even more glad to see the beginning of an active programme of physiotherapy, and social work, and to meet the surgeon who is to begin hand reconstruction.

I wish the director every success as he leads his team into a full coordinated programme of research and teaching, and we at Vellore will be more than glad to offer any help that we can , and to profit by mutual cooperation and consultation."

"During the year under report there has been all round progress in the development of the Institute. The Institute comprises of three Divisions (Clinical, Laboratories, and Epidemiology & Statistics) and some other sections. Till last year only the Clinical Division and some sections were functioning. During 1961, however, the Division of Laboratories and that of Epidemiology and Statistics have also been established and have started functioning.

The main developments during the year are summarised below.

Staff: During the year under report Dr Dharmendra continued to be the Director of the Institute, Dr H Paul, the Medical Superintendent and Shri G T Harimurthi, the Administrative Officer. Some of the senior posts that had remained vacant so far were filled up during the year by the recruitment of either new staff or from the existing personnel holding other posts. Of the new entrants, Dr P Mohamed Ali has joined as Head of the Division of Epidemiology and Statistics, Dr C G S Iyer as Head of the Division of Laboratories, and Shri C S Swaminathan as Junior Scientific Officer (Bacteriology). Of the already existing staff, Dr K Ramanujam, previously Officer in Charge of the Silver Jubilee Children's Clinic, Saidapet, joined as Senior Scientific Officer (Clinical); Dr S K Noordeen, previously Officer in Charge of the Mobile Unit, joined as Senior Scientific Officer (Epidemiology), and Dr S M Mukerjee, previously Resident Medical Officer joined as Junior Scientific Officer (Surgical).

In connection with the establishement of the Orthopaedic Section in the Institute, Dr S M Mukerjee, Resident Medical Officer was deputed to undergo training in hand surgery at the Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore under Dr Paul Brand for a period of one year. After his return from training he has joined as Junior Scientific Officer (Surgical)."