Surgical operations.
Finances.
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
21
The experiment of educating native dhaies was tried, and proved a failure, owing to the
few cases of this class, as there were but four native women confined in hospital during the
year. This is owing to the want of proper accommodation in the hospital to suit the customs
and prejudices of native women.
•
11. Twenty-seven major and 985 minor operations were performed during the year 1874.
The former had a death-rate of 185·1 per mille.
12. The financial state of the hospital is in a fairly healthy condition. There was a
balance to credit of the hospital funds at the end of the year of Rs. 1,750-11.
It is worthy of note that the subscriptions from natives for the support of this hospital
d u r i n g t h e p a s t y e a r a m o u n t e d o n l y t o R s . 5 .
The receipts for 1874 amounted to Rs. 46,391-12-7, and the expenditure was
Rs. 44,641-1-7. The average cost of each diet for Europeans was eight annas nine and three-
fourths of a pie, and for natives of one anna and eleven and three-fourths of a pie.
13. The night-soil of the hospital is removed. in covered vessels on wheels, and the
bath-room and latrine arrangements seem to be as objectionable as can well be imagined, and
have attracted the attention of His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, the Sanitary
Commissioner with the Government of India, and the Deputy Surgeon-General of the
Presidency circle.
14. All articles are supplied by contract; and it is only by the strictest supervision that
they can be procured of quality corresponding to the price paid for them.
The milk and butter contractor in particular failed in the quality of these articles.
15. Mr. Fitzgibbon, v.c., and Baboo Gopal Chunder Roy, have merited the approval
of Dr. Bird by their attention to their duties, and they are reported as being popular with
the patients.
CALCUTTA LOCK-HOSPITALS.
The following extracts are made from Dr. Payne's very complete and interesting report on
the working of Act XIV of 1868 in the town and suburbs of Calcutta during. the year 1874.
1. During the year the hospital treatment of the entire number of native women was
carried out at Alipore, the Europeans and Eurasians alone being received at Sealdah. As the
number of the latter was very small, the Sealdah institution was little more than an exami
-
nation depot for that division of the town.
2. At the close of 1873 the number of registered Women was 6,455, but during 1874
there has been an increasing number every month, until, in December, there were 6,845
registered prostitutes.
Native dhaies.
Conservancy.
Supplies.
Establishment.
Number on
register.
3. The annexed table shows the proportion of disease as detected by inspection. It is Amount of disease
detected.
CLASS.
Examination.
Venereal
cases.
Ratio per cent.
diseased.
Pr i mar y
915
254
27·8
' P e r i o d i c
138,273
1.415
1·0
Home
992
5
0·5
Defaulters
3,583
313
8·7
Unregistered
40
40
100·00
noticed that there is but a nomi
-
nal proportion of disease among
the women under regular obser
-
vation. The proportion increases
among defaulters, and rises to a
much higher rate among those
newly brought under the act;
but the proportion of disease in
this latter class can hardly be
taken as representing that which exists among the prostitutes who are not under the control
of the Act, because disease must often be the cause of their coming under observation.
4. The annexed statement, showing the number of primary examinations, the number of
YEARS.
Primary
examinations.
Cases of
disease.
Ratio per cent.
1 8 7 0
1,686
446
26·0
1 8 7 1
628
88
14·0
1 8 7 2
2 6 8
68
25·3
1 8 7 3
255
70
27·4
1 8 7 4
915
254
27·8
in the history of a large number of free women there is no tendency to natural abatement of
disease that is progressive, and by contrast with the very marked and progressive reduction of
disease among the women under control and among the general population of Calcutta during
the same period. it would seem to reduce the efficacy of the not to absolute demonstration."
those found diseased on these
occasions, and the ratio per cent.
of those diseased, affords strong
evidence against the theory of
spontaneous decrease of disease
in Calcutta. On this point Dr.
Payne remarks as follows: "If
this mean nothing more, it yields
at least indisputable proof that
f
Examinations.