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and the misery of it so well known that the appeal for funds which followe
d
the inauguration of the Indian Council evoked a generous measure of res
-
ponse from the princes and the people of India. A Capital Fund of
Rs. 20,25,000 was created of which the annual income, viz ., Rs. 1,22,000
,
was made available for furthering the objects of the Association. This
income was reduced by Rs. 11,000 in 1932 owing to the conversion opera
-
tions of the Government Securities, but it has been made up by a generous
donation of Rs. 3,13,000 received from the Indian Red Cross Society from
its share of Their Majesties' Silver Jubilee Fund.
4. The Indian Council set to work against a combination of difficulties.
The extent of leprosy was an unknown quantity, the knowledge of it
s
incidence and endemicity imperfect, social conditions adverse and above
all, age-long superstition and prejudice formed a barrier which custom an
d
ignorance stiffened from day to day.
The programme of work was accordingly carefully planned so that the
limited resources might be utilized to the best advantage. The first task
was to create an atmosphere which would remove the apathy of the p u b l i c
towards the problem and stimulate interest in the new ideas about the
disease which is no longer held to be beyond the physician's aid, but
definitely within scientific control. To achieve this object a three-fold
programme was adopted. It was decided that on the one hand research
work must be intensified, and on the other people should be educated with
regard to the main facts about the causation, prevention and treatment of
leprosy and the means of obtaining the latest treatment of the disease.
5. The actual execution of this programme is apportioned between the
headquarters and the provincial branches. Research, propaganda and
training of doctors, which benefit the country as a whole, are in the charge
of headquarters while the provincial branches are responsible for the pro-
vision of treatment to lepers and other objects of purely local scope, for
which purpose about 50 per cent. of the entire income of the Association is
made available to them. This is supplemented by grants from local
Governments and local bodies, etc.
6. Research work has been carried on at the School of Tropical Medicine
Calcutta, in co-operation with the authorities of the School and
the Indian Research Fund Association. It has cost the Association a
total sum of Rs. 2,73,000 during the last twelve years to end of 1936.
Propaganda has been carried on by the publication of a variety of pam
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phlets, leaflets, posters, films and slides to educate the public to a
n
appreciation of the true facts relating to leprosy. A quarterly journal
"Leprosy in India" has been published to provide a medium for the exchange
of ideas and experiences of the workers in the field of leprosy. A sum of
about Rs. 89,000 has been spent on propaganda since the inception of the
Association. Special courses of instruction in the diagnosis and treatment
of leprosy have been held at Calcutta and Dichpali at which about 900
doctors from all over India and abroad have received instruction at a total
cost of Rs. 78,000 to the Association. Until 1933 the travelling expenses
of doctors attending these courses were paid by the Association, but now
all such expenses are met by the doctors themselves or by those nominating
them for the course. These specially trained doctors have in turn given