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The building was completed in 1932 and opened on behalf of H. E. the
Viceroy by His Excellency Sir John Anderson, Governor of Bengal.
2. Administrative and scientific control.—The Government of India
in the Department of Education, Health and Lands exercise administrative
control through the Director-General, Indian Medical Service. The scienti
-fic control is vested in a Committee, presided over by the Hon'ble Member-
in-charge of the Department. Besides four other official members three
non-official members of the Governing Body of the Indian Research Fund
Association are represented on the Committee. It also serves as the Re-
-cruitment and Appointments Board of the Institute.
3. Activities.—The Institute performs the double function of post-
graduate teaching and research. There are six sections viz., (1) Public
Health Administration, (2) Vital Statistics and Epidemiology, (3) Biochemis-
-try and Nutrition, (4) Malariology and Rural Hygiene, Tuberculosis and
Venereal Diseases, (5) Maternity and Child Welfare, and (6) Sanitary
Engineering, each being in charge of a separate professor. The professor
of Public Health Administration and Hygiene is also the Director of the
Institute. In 1934, when the Institute commenced its separate existence,
only four sections were opened, the Maternity and Child Welfare Section,
and the Sanitary Engineering Section being kept in abeyance. Realising
however the importance of the former section, the Governing Body of the
Countess of Dufferin's Fund came to the assistance of the authorities by
lending the services of one of their senior officers to serve as Professor.
The Maternity and Child Welfare Clinic in connection with this Section
was organised by a voluntary association with the help of funds provided by
the Countess of Dufferin's Fund. Since April 1937 the Section together
with the Clinic has been taken over by the Government of India. Sanction
has already been accorded to the organisation of the Sanitary Engineering
Section. Besides the six sections, the Institute houses two major Inquiries
under the Indian Research Fund Association, as also the Central Drug
Standardisation Laboratories.
4. Teaching.—Training is provided for courses leading to D. P. H. and
D. Sc. (Public Health) of the University of Calcutta, and D. P. H. & Hy.
and D. M. C. W. of the Faculty of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene of
Bengal. Besides these courses, a three months' post-graduate course of
instruction is offered in the various subjects to those who wish to specialise
in them. Training in laboratory subjects, viz ., Bacteriology, Protozoology
Entomology, Helminthology is given in the School of Tropical Medicine
along with the students of the Diploma in Tropical Medicine. The Direc--
tor of Public Health Laboratory, Bengal, acts as Professor of Public Health
Laboratory Practice. In return for these facilities provided by the Bengal
Government, the Professor of Public Health Administration and Hygiene of
the Institute acts as Professor of Hygiene for the School of Tropical
Medicine.
When the Institute was first started, some doubt was expressed as to
the wisdom of creating a big institution devoted to training of public health
workers, because it was feared that the country would not absorb a large
number of highly trained officers. It is gratifying to note that the demand
for training is rapidly increasing. Whilst during the first two years the
applications received were not sufficient to fill the 30 seats for the D. P. H.
class, during the last two years the demand for admission has increased