CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
15
THE CAMPBELL HOSPITAL.
The following brief extract has been taken from Dr. Woodford's interesting report on
the working of this institution.
1. The building is reported to be in great need of a thorough repair. Owing to the
roof being of corrugated iron, the wards are exceedingly hot in the afternoon during the
summer months, and to remedy this a wooden underneath roof would be a great boon.
More light is needed in the wards, and forty glass sashes are absolutely necessary, as, on foggy
and rainy mornings, the hospital duties are frequently interrupted for an hour or so, owing to
the want of sufficient light.
Building.
It is also strongly urged, on the grounds of convenience and economy, that gas should
be laid through the building. It is also recommended that the thatched roof of the dissecting
rooms should be replaced by corrugated iron. The floors of the permanent small-pox wards
require to be raised by three inches, and made impermeable with cement : wooden doors, too,
might be substituted for the present , jhamps with advantage.
2. On the subject of expenditure Dr. Woodford writes :—" The subject has received
my unremitting attention, and I hope I have succeeded in keeping the expenditure of the
hospital at the very lowest amount commensurate with a high state of efficiency. The annual
cost has certainly exceeded that of former years, but the higher expenditure is due almost
entirely to the large numbers which have had to be accommodated during the year, as compared
with former years. The total cost per head, including all charges, has not quite amounted to
Rs. 12, and does not exceed by more than a rupee per patient per month that of former
years."
Finance,
3. The diet scale is reported to be wanting in variety, and in consequence more extra
diets have been given than there would have been necessity for, had the prescribing officer
a more varied range to select from. This matter is now under the consideration of the
superintendent.
Diet.
As will be observed from the statement on the margin, the numbers of sick in
hospital have been unprecedently
high during 1874, as compared
with previous years. This Dr.
Woodford partly attributes to the
limiting of admissions into the
Native or Chandney Hospital of
Dhurrumtollah, which provides
20 or 25 beds only, in place of 70
to 100, as in previous years ; in
part to the scarcity of food ;
and also to a general increase of
fever.
Sickness.
5. With regard to cholera, the superintendent remarks that it has not only proved
unusually fatal during the year under review, but that nearly double the number has been
admitted, compared with any year since 1868. This he attributes in a great measure to the
early setting in of very strong southerly winds, i.e. , to the sudden transition from cold to
excessive heat, as occasionally happens, and a continuance of strong southerly winds across
the salt water lakes during the hot season, when cholera is most prevalent in and around
Calcutta.
Cholera.
6. The death-rate during 1874 amounted to 251·6 per mille, and exclusive of moribunds
to 224·5,—a decided improvement on 1873, when the death-rate was 288 and 247 respectively.
On this subject Dr. -Woodford writes :—" In my last annual report the hope was expressed
'that a further reduction in the yet sad mortality may be obtained, now that the Pauper
Hospital has been taken over by Government for a vernacular medical school and hospital
for clinical instruction.' With an efficient staff of six teachers, four resident assistant surgeons,
assisted by supernumeraries, the hope has been to some extent realized, giving a death-rate of
251·65 per mille for the past year. A more liberal scale of clothing and diet have also been
sanctioned by Government, so that the sick will be suitably clothed at the different seasons :
consequently the mortality in future years will be reduced to the minimum, due regard being
taken to the classes of cases treated."
Mortality.
It would, however, appear from the following statement that the diminution of the
death-rate of 1874 is in a great measure due to the smaller number of moribunds admitted
as compared with previous years. The average number of cases that prove fatal annually
within 24 hours of admission, judging from the figures of the past seven years, would appear to
be 368, or about 27 per cent. of the total mortality ; whereas the figures of 1874 are 264 and 13·9
respectively.
Moribunds.
Statement No. XIII.
YE/R.
Admissions. Deaths.
DIED PER MILLE.
Exclusive of
moribunds.
Inclusive of
moribunds.
1808 .„
... ... 4,507
273
203
345
1869 ... ...
5,055
311
207
'270
1870 ...
3,415
223
223
308
... ... ...
1871 -• •-
4,283
233
201
272
... ...
1872 .. ... ... ... 5,212
283
202
277
i873 ... -
4 870
295
247
288
1874 ...
7 140
366
.221
251