100
REPORT ON TIM CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
Recruits.
The number of recruits examined by me for the police force and passed
as fit has been
—
European
...
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
36
Natives
...
...
. . .
...
...
977
1,013
Sickness-rate.
An average daily sick of 97 to a force of 3,033 native police is 3 per
cent. only, and continues to show the great advantage attained by a careful
medical examination of all recruits before admission into the service.
Death-rate.
The death-rate of 22·92 per thousand to treated, and 21·54 ditto to the
strength of the force, must be admitted as highly satisfactory, when compared
with other hospitals, and that of the London police force. Favourable as the
return is, it is to be hoped that the mortality will be further reduced after the
hospital premises have been efficiently drained, &c. &c.
Contrast between
police and sepoys.
The Police Chowkeydar Hospital has been likened to native military hos-
pitals, but without sufficient reason it is to be feared as there is little, if any,
analogy between them, inasmuch as sepoys or native soldiers are comfortably
located and never overcrowded as all the police thannahs or station-houses
are, and as the police hospital often is. Their duties, too, are wholly different.
The native soldier has, ordinarily speaking, easy duty to perform, and much
leisure ; whereas the Calcutta and Suburban police chowkedars have longer
and weightier duties to perform, averaging daily from 8 to 10 hours, besides
being exposed to changes of climate at all seasons of the year both by day and
night. The sepoy who is under strict military discipline, would be made a prisoner
and severely dealt with if found breaking any of the hospital rules ; but
n o
such power is delegated to the Police Surgeon in charge of the Police Chowke-
da
r H o s p i t a l .
Causes of admis-
s i o n s .
The admissions into hospital for the period under review have been much
in excess of that of the preceding year, there having been no less than 681
admissions, more than in 1871 ; the daily average of sick, however, has been
somewhat less in consequence of the dengue epidemic,. permitting more speedy
discharges from hospital.
Cholera.
The greater portion of the admissions were fever cases, which numbered
1,870, ague 1,017, and dysentery 245. Only 27 cases of cholera occurred during
the year, as shown in Appendix A, 7 of which proved fatal, and for the most
part were admitted in a state of collapse, twelve and sixteen hours after being
attacked, in lieu of being treated in the primary stage.
Dengue.
Under the head of fever, 853 cases of dengue are included. The disease
first made its appearance in this hospital in the month of April, and may be
said to have raged for five months, the greater portion, however, were discharged
cured in from six to eight days. Twice the number admitted into hospital
were affected with dengue in a mild form not requiring treatment.
Dysentery.
Many dysentery and some cholera cases have been admitted into hospital
in the last stage of disease only to die. Most of the dysentery cases have, accord
-
ing to their own account, suffered for weeks before admission into hospital.
B u i l d i n g .
Building.—The hospital building was thoroughly repaired in September
last, but it is to be regretted that there were not sufficient funds then available
for the removal of the cumbrous lobbies to each ward, which materially shut