HISTORY

The Department of General Surgery at the Christian Medical College came into existence in 1918, when the founder of our Institution, Dr. Ida Sophia Scudder, established the Missionary Medical School for Women at the Mary Taber Schell Hospital, which had been built in the town of Vellore in 1902.  Dr. Jessie Findlay joined the Institution in 1920 as her assistant in the Department of Surgery.  In 1924, the Department of Surgery moved to the newly built hospital at Thottapalayam (the present location) and Dr. Scudder was the first Lecturer and Head of the Department.  In 1925, she became the first Professor of Surgery and Dr. Jessie Findlay, Assistant Professor of Surgery.   Dr. Scudder continued to function as both General Surgeon and Obstetrician and Gynaecologist till 1928.  In 1928, Dr. Carol Jameson took charge of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Dr.Scudder became full time Professor of Surgery and Principal of the Missionary Medical School. In 1928, the Weyerhauser Surgical Block with an operation theater complex consisting of two operating rooms and inpatient wards was built with generous contribution of the Weyerhauser family in the USA and this augmented the surgical activities in the Institution.    In 1940, Dr. Jessie Findlay became the Professor and Head of the Department of Surgery.