145
HOWRAH GENERAL HOSPITAL.
It is very desirable that the native department of the hospital should be
placed on a better footing than it now holds under the present system. With a
view to this I have asked the Native Hospital Committee to devote the funds in
hand amounting to Rs. (10,000) ten thousand or upwards, to some useful
purpose, instead of hoarding the money, as they are now doing with the vague
idea of being able to establish a separate native hospital. This, in the first
place, is not necessary, and under present finiancial difficulties is quite out of
the question.
When my proposal has been agreed to and the money made over, I
propose building another ward for the accommodation of native surgical cases, and
a separate moribund ward which will relieve the pressure that is now put on
the only room in the building at present available for all kinds of cases.
It is impossible under the present arrangement to accommodate surgical
cases in this ward, and I have been under the necessity of removing the few
patients who have undergone operations to the general ward in the European
department. I am in hopes of seeing the above proposition agreed to, and the
work begun, if not completed, during the present year.
Improvement of
Native depart-
ment desirable.
Changes in the sub
-ordinate medi-
cal establish-
ment.
Subordinate Medical Establishment. —Mr Swan, house surgeon, returned
from the leave granted to him by my predecessor on 4th April, and continued
to perform the duties of house surgeon till 12th August 1872, when, owing to his
having rendered himself liable for defalcations in the money accounts of the
late hospital cashier, amounting in all to Rs. 1,125, and owing also to a combi-
nation of other circumstances in connection with the misconduct and dishonesty
of his subordinate staff, it was considered advisable that, with the sanction of
the committee, he should be permitted to resign his post. This he did on 11th
August last. The circumstances referred to consisted in the loss of Government
stores at various periods, in the shape of quinine, amounting in value to
Rs. 395-10-9 which, together with the impending debt of Rs. 1,125, rendered it
impossible that on his small salary he would be able to meet the liabilities within
a reasonable period. Previously to his leaving the place, however, the value of
quinine was paid up in full as well as a portion of the other debt, and I hold a
bond drawn out in legal form for the balance, payment of which shortly falls due.
Mr. Swan was succeeded by Sub-Assistant Surgeon, Babu Gopaul Chun-
der Roy, a graduate of the Medical College. This young officer conducted the
duties in his capacity as house surgeon with great zeal and ability to my
entire satisfaction from 12th August to 4th December 1872. By his valuable
co-operation and assistance, I was enabled to dispense with the services, one
by one, of the old staff of dispensary assistants and menial servants, and to over-
come in a measure the silent but determined opposition which was offered to
the introduction of a better system of management. Most of the members
composing the former staff have either resigned their posts voluntarily, or have
been discharged, and the duties are now being conducted in a satisfactory
manner at a smaller cost, under more favorable auspices.
Mr. T. T. Beachwood, second class apothecary, having been appointed by
Government, took over charge as house surgeon on 4th December last. The
work is new to him; his health is not good; the duties are constant and often of
an arduous nature, but I trust that by application and attention to duty he may
be able to carry on the work with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of
the public.
Financially the hospital is not in a satisfactory state, but the funds have
been considerably supplemented for the time being by public subscriptions and
Finances.
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