( 4 )
after every attempt has been made to augment those means, and then to push on
rapidly any scheme that may be adopted.
17. The General Hospital.—The Lieutenant-Governor has read with great
interest Dr. Ewart's very careful report. The average daily sick in the
hospital during the year was 161.25. The numbers treated in this institution do
not vary much from year to year, but the death-rate has of late years been falling
steadily. The rate of the past year, 36.52 per mille, was, however, singularly
below the average (68.07), and even after excluding cholera, from which 1871
was abnormally free, the rate was 30.56 against an average of 45.80.
18. Dr. Ewart draws attention very forcibly to the disadvantages under
which the cases sent from the shipping labour in not being sent to hospital till the
disease (be it cholera or dysentery or hepatitis) has fully developed itself. The
attention of Commanders should be drawn to this by the Shipping Office.
Cholera, dysentery, and phthisis, contribute between them 565.60 per thousand
of the total deaths. Phthisis is said to act even more rapidly here than in
Europe when once the disease takes a downward turn.
19. Dr. Ewart notes the diminution in cholera already remarked upon,
attributing the result to good water and better conservancy. It is to be remarked,
however, that the town water-pipes have not yet been extended to the hospital.
The Lieutenant-Governor is very anxious that they should be. A proposal is made
to extend the sphere of the General Hospital's operations by setting apart a
ward on the ground floor for Native surgical cases, and opening an out-patient
department. The Inspector-General of Hospitals, Indian Medical Department
does not approve of placing surgical cases on the basement of the principal
building, but thinks that when the regimental hospital is made over to the civil
department (and already has been) there would be room for this experiment.
As regards an out-patient department special report has been called for. It
seems to the Lieutenant-Governor that the whole question is one of space and
establishment. The Surgeon-Superintendent might be allowed to make the most
of the available accommodation, and to utilise to the full the existing staff, but
it is impossible to attach to the hospital at present more European medical
officers. The Lieutenant-Governor does not see, however, why some of the
supernumerary Sub-Assistant Surgeons, ordinarily attached to the College
Hospital, should not assist at the General Hospital, now that it is a civil institu-
tion. The Inspector-General should see to this.
20. In this hospital also improved dieting, in the provision of which
Dr. Saunders, the Deputy Inspector-General, has taken such persevering interest,
has led to improved results. All Dr. Ewart's requests for covered trays and
improved cooking apparatus have been complied with since his report went
to press.
21. The Calcutta Nurses' Institution .—This useful institution is again in a
f l our i shi ng condi t i on ; f our t een women bei ng at wor k i n t he Medi cal Col l ege
and nine in the General Hospital; while the year closed with a balance in
the Bank of Rs. 2,129.
22. The Municipal Pauper Hospital.—To this hospital are brought the
cases which other hospitals reject as hopeless, and all the waifs of Calcutta in
every possible stage of disease. Its death-rate, therefore, is a fair index of the
relative healthiness from year to year of the poorer classes of the native popula-
tion. The average daily sick was 233—an increase of ten over last year—while
the admissions were 4,520, against 3,415. The mortality rate was 272.1 per
mille, against 308 in 1870. Excluding moribunds, it was 201.8 per mille. These
figures are taken from Dr. Woodford's report. There is an error in Statement
XIII of the Inspector-General's report owing to the number of admissions during
the year being taken for the number treated, which must of course include cases
remaining from last year. Under any circumstances, the mortality in this
hospital is distressingly large. The Lieutenant-Governor, on reading these
figures, visited the hospital to ascertain if anything could be done to reduce it,
and found that Dr. Woodford had not very much to suggest,—nothing, indeed,
which had not been already submitted to the medical authorities. He begs