 After the death of his mentor in 1917, Chagas accepted Cruz's directorship of the institute, a post he held until his death in 1934.From 1920 to 1924, he became the director of the Department of Health in Brazil.Chagas was very active in organizing special health-care and prevention services and campaigns for the Spanish flu epidemics, sexually transmitted diseases, leprosy, pediatrics, tuberculosis, and rural endemic diseases.