Increase of patients.
Admissions and
mortality of
Christians from
some of the more
common diseases.
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
35
5. It will be remarked that there has been an increase in the number of patients, Chris
-tians as well as Natives, during the year. The increase of the in and out-door patients from
the former class was 28 and 196 respectively, against the figures of 1875, and the increase of
Native patients was 71 and 268 above that of the same year. Dr. Bird remarks that
"a greater number of patients were treated during the past year than in any other since
the foundation of the institution. This, however, is not altogether a matter for unmixed
congratulation. The resources at the disposal of the committee are limited, so also are the
energies of the establishment and the space included in the wards. On the other hand, the
hospital wants of the Native poor in and around Howrah are, comparatively speaking, bound
-less, consequently the hospital authorities must sometimes sacrifice the efficiency of the insti
-tution to their laudable desire to be humane."
6. The following table exhibits the total number of Christian patients (European and
Eurasian) treated for certain diseases, and the mortality and death-rates from each. For the
sake of comparison the corresponding statistics of 1875 are also given:—
CHRISTIAN IN-DOOR
PATIENTS.
Diseases.
RATIO OFDEATHS PER MILLR TO
—
Treated.
Died.
Treated.
Total treated from
all causes.
Total deaths.
1876. 1875. 1876. 1875. 1876. 1875.
1876.
1875.
1876. 1875.
Cholera
... ... ...
21
22
6
13 285·71 590·90
6·91
15·40 200·00 419·35
Hepatic abscess ... ...
8
6
4
4 500·00 666·66
4·61
4·73 133·33 129·03
Remittent fever
... ... 19
44
4
3 210·52 68·18
4·60
3·55 133·33 96·77
Phthisis
... ... ...
15
14
4
2 285·71 142·85
4·60
2·36 133·33 64·51
Dyseutery
... ... ... 38
34
......
1
......
29·41
.....
1·18
......
32·25
Other causes ... ... ...
767
724
12
8
15·62 11·04
13·82
9·47 400·00 258·06
7. In reviewing the sickness and mortality in the foregoing table, Dr. Bird remarks
as follows:—"Cholera during the year was never at any time prevalent, and the cases met
with were mostly of a mild type; and the same remark is true of dysentery. Remittent
fever was not prevalent, but the disease was of a virulent type. Of 19 cases treated, 4 died.
This is not a small mortality, but the fatal cases were without exception complicated with
organic lesions; and two of them, when received into the wards, were in the fourth week of
the disease. Of the 14 cases of phthisis treated 4 died, the remainder being relieved or trans
- f e r r e d . "
8. In the following table is given the same information regarding the Native in-door
patients, as has just been done in the case of the Christian patients:—
NATIVE IN-DOOR PATIENTS.
Diseases.
Treated.
Died.
RATIO OF DEATHS PER MILLR TO
—
Treated.
Total treated from
all causes.
Total deaths.
1876. 1875. 1876. 1875. 1876. 1875.
1876.
1875.
1876. 1875.
Fevers ... ... ...
278
168
27
37
97·12 220·23
18·34
26·40
84·11 117·09
Cholera ... ... ... 108
110
61
28 564·81 254·54
41·44
19·98 190·03 88·60
Phthisis ... ... ...
9
14
5
11 555·55 785·71
3·39
7·85
15·57 34·81
Dysentery ... ... ...
81
335
31
76 382·71 226·86
21·05
54·24
96·57 240·50
Diarrhœa ... ... ... 271
151
97
43 357·93 284·76
65·89
30·69 302·18 136·07
Other diseases ... ...
725
623
100
121 137·93 194·22
67·93
86·36 311·52 382·91
9. Dr. Bird writes as follows regarding the sickness and mortality of the Native in-door
patients:—"The collective mortality among the Native patients has, as in other years, been
heavy. In estimating this, however, it must be borne in mind that all moribund deaths
have been included in the mortuary table. Fevers and bowel complaints, as in other years,
caused a large proportion of deaths. Cholera did not prevail with unusual force, but, unlike
the disease met with among Europeans and Eurasians, it was of a deadly type. The mor
- t a l i t y a m o n g t h e d y s e n t e r y c a s e s w a s l a r g e , b u t m a n y o r m o s t o f t h o s e w h o d i e d w e r e m o r i b u n d
when admitted." The mortality from the causes comprised under the heading of "other
diseases" may be briefly stated to have been dependent on the sequences of malarious
poisoning; to diseases of the heart and acute lung complaints; to injuries, tetanus, &c., &c.
10. It is a very remarkable fact, and one regarding which no explanation has been
offered, that while, in 1875, cholera, as observed among the Christian in-door patients, was
of a virulent type, and was mild among Natives, the reverse was observed in 1876, as the
death-rate of Christians per mille of total treated was not half what it was among Natives.
Review of the
diseases in the
foregoing table.
Admissions and
mortality of
Natives from some
of the more
common diseases.
Review of the
di seases i n t he f oregoi ng t abl e.
Di f f e r e n c e i n t h e t y p e o f c h o l c r a a t t a c k i n g Ch r i s t i a n s a n d Na t i v e s .