Established in 1940, Elazig Leprosy Hospital is the oldest of three leprosy hospitals in Turkey. Dr Turkan Saylan provided these notes on the hospital in July, 1996. "It has 110 beds and 35 residents in July, 1996. These 35 patients (11 females and 24 males) are single elderly individuals. The number of patients in this hospital increases during the winter. There are 20 families permanently living in the vicinity of the hospital. In all but one case, both the husband and wife have leprosy. In Elazig, there are two ex-patients supported from Istanbul. One is a wound dresser, the other repairs shoes."