The Medical service of this presidency has used X-ray and electrical treatment apparatus for many years. The first X-ray out fit was obtained for the general hospital in the year 1900 almost five years after W.C.Roentgen made his famous discovery, the first in South East Asia. This compared to the powerful apparatuses used today was very primitive being run from a small battery of accumulators. There have been many changes since then. In 1920, Government appointed Captain T.W.Barnard to organize a radiological service. 400 KV X-Ray unit was introduced at the time of Captain T.W.Barnard OBE long before England, Europe and America had the service of X-Ray. The post was a temporary one but was made permanent in 1922 when the Secretary of State sanctioned it under the designation of Radiologist for the Madras Presidency. Later, this was changed to Director, Government X-ray Institute Madras. The new service was to include the building of an Institute, which would be a teaching center in southern India. “ Fallowfield ”, a very large bungalow, was rented for about 2 years during which time there were negotiations with the owner to purchase the bungalow or to obtain it on a long lease, so as to adapt it for radiological purposes. Eventually, negotiations fell through and Captain Barnard was offered and accepted the temporary buildings in the General Hospital compound, which had been erected for operation theaters. After the necessary alterations, Their Excellencies Lord and Lady Willingdon opened these as a temporary institute, on March 17th 1922. These rooms had been used for 12 years but soon became inadequate for the large number of patients attending, for where as in 1920, there were 3465 sittings in the 2 small x-ray rooms at the General Hospital. In 1922, this had gone upto, 11757 sittings at the temporary institute. In 1933, the figures had risen sharply to 75780. A new building therefore, soon became a necessity and the consulting architects and the Director planned the one presently housing the department. This formed part of the remodeling scheme adopted for the General Hospital and Medical College compounds. The sanctioned estimate for the building of a new institute of Radiology was Rs.3.29 lakhs. Ever since then, the Institute was abreast with modern medical equipment and fore runner in medical education. This was due to the foresight and support by the Government of Tamilnadu and the hard work done by the faculty of Barnard Institute of Radiology over generations.
X-Ray service started – 1900 (5 years after Roentgen discovered X-Rays)
Temporary accommodation – 1920, X-Ray Institute, Madras.
The Barnard Institute of Radiology was started way back on March 26th 1934
As “ Madras Government Institute of Radiology”.
Present Building – 1934, Barnard Institute, Madras
First Diploma course was started in 1936 (DMR)
First MD course was started in 1963
First DNB course was started in 1978
First CRA course was started in 1936
First DRA course was started in 1936
