94
REPORT ON THE CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
Voluntary appli-
cants for admis-
sion.
The hygienic state
of the hospital
good.
The third class, or those who are admitted on their own or their friends'
application, makes up the remaining one-fourth of the admissions ; in it, is included
children from charitable asylums, and coolies from emigration depôts, from
which are numbered our chief hopeful cases.
That the hospital itself affords every chance for rcovery, is sufficiently
proved by the fact that the mortality is now fourteen per cent. lower than when
the sick were located in the premises adjoining the Gowkhannah ; and if further
proof be wanted, it is only necessary to instance the recoveries of those police
chowkidars who have been transferred from the Police Hospital with phage-
dœna and sloughing sores in a hopeless condition.
Cholera.
Dengue.
Dieting.
Building.
Cholera.—The number of cholera cases admitted during the year has been
69 ; of these, 36 or 52 per cent. died. Of the total number, 36 were from the
town and 33 from the suburbs. A detailed statement will be found in Appen-
dix B.
Dengue.—The dengue epidemic which prevailed for the greater part of the
year throughout Calcutta and the suburbs scarcely showed itself in this hos-
pital, as only 73 cases were admitted, and those with but few exceptions were
received from the Native Foundling Asylum. Not a single instance could be
traced to infection in the hospital.
Dieting. —The contract system of dieting is in force at this hospital, and on
the whole continues to give satisfaction ; yet much difficulty has been experi-
enced in procuring good milk for the sick, in consequence of the contract price
of Rs. 5-6 per maund being low.
Rs. A. P.
The cost of dieting per head per mensem, inclusive of stimulants, is ... 4 0 0
Ditto ditto per diem
...
. . .
...
... 0 2 1
It is right to mention that, fuel has been supplied from the Justices' work-
shop, the cost of which is not included in the above rates.
Building.— The building during the year has received much attention, and
is now under general repair. Two bath-rooms have been added, one for the men,
and the other for the women. More ventilation has been given to the latrines.
The roof of the building has been painted or coloured white ; the drains or water-
courses running through the floors are being efficiently filled in ; and the
removal of the godowns in the centre of the building has been ordered, which
will give much more space and ventilation. It is satisfactory to note that
these improvements are near completion.
Lighting defective.
Imperfect night
watching.
Lighting. —The building should be lighted with gas, as the imperfect light-
ing is a source of much complaint, and it does not require any special pleading
to show that ten ordinary oil-burners cannot in any way light up a building of
such spacious proportions as this is, especially as the dark, lofty ceiling and
brick walls have little, if any, refractive power. It is to be hoped this subject
will receive due consideration, and lighting by gas be speedily adopted, particu-
larly when it is borne in mind, that men and women in this hospital are sepa-
rated by a screen only.
Compound .—The hospital building and grounds should be enclosed ; at
present they are quite open, and frequent thefts take place—in fact there is very
little to prevent any one from coming in or going out—as out of three durwans
attached to the hospital, only one can be on watch at a time during the night ;