when the university of ceylon was established in 1942, the general hospital was chosen to be its teaching hospital. paying wards such as matapan ward were established in 1943. 1952 saw the building of hospital kitchens and the first cardiothoracic unit. the hospital's first open-heart surgery took place in 1955. an electrocardiography (ecg) unit was opened on 1 november 1955. the college of physiotherapy and school of radiology, both affiliated to the general hospital, were founded in 1957. the bandaranaike building (administration and surgery) was opened on 2 february 1958 by prime minister s. w. r. d. bandaranaike. eye care moved to the newly created eye hospital in 1965 and on 1 january 1967 an accident ward was opened in the vacated victoria memorial building by prime minister dudley senanayake. ceylon's first intensive care unit was opened in the surgical complex by minister of health e. l. senanayake on 16 june 1968. a mental health ward (ward no. 59) was founded in the late 1960s. plastic surgery was introduced in 1970 in ward no. 4. the coronary care unit was opened in 1973. the burn unit started on 28 october 1974 in lady de soysa ward.