HOWRAH GENERAL HOSPITAL.
73
Financial. —Some time ago a letter appeared in the public prints stating that this
hospital has been badly supported by the general public ; this statement is altogether without
foundation. The merchants of Calcutta, the proprietors of docks and factories, and the
general public, have at all times up to the present been most ready and liberal with their
contributions, and it may safely be said that the hospital will continue to receive similar
support so long as it deserves it. In support of what is here advanced, it need only be
mentioned, as has been done above, that when in 1871 an appeal for aid was made to the
public by the committee, the appeal was answered with a subscription of Rs. 14,000.
Finances.
The cash statement of the Howrah General Hospital for the year 1873 is as follows :—
DEPARTMENT, &C.
Total number of
diets supplied
during
the 12 months.
Expended on
account of the
said diets.
Average cost of
each diet
during the
period.
Pure cash
balance on the
31st December
1873.
REMARKS.
Rs. A. P.
Rs. A. P.
Rs. A. P.
European Department
13,363
6,960 4 2
0 8 4
. . . . . . . . .
Native
12,487
1,879 3 6
0 2 41/1½
.........
* Balance in hand on the 31st December 1873
. . . . . . . . .
.........
. . . . . . . . .
12,536 10 0 In Bank of
Bengal.
* The sum stated to be the balance in hand is a pure cash balance, and not an investment.
The sum given in this table as expended on account of diets does not correspond with
the cash statement for the year ; in the latter the sum actually paid from January 1st to
December 31st, 1873, is given. This includes eleven months' payments, viz. from December 1872
to October 1873. The contractor's bills for November and December 1873 were not paid till
1874, and therefore the payment could not appear in the cash statement. In preparing the
above statement, the sums due on account of diets for November and December 1873 have
been included, and that made for December 1872 omitted; so that the average cost of diets
given for 1873 is absolutely correct.
DR.
Abstract Cash Account of the Howrah General Hospital for the year 1873.
CR. Cash account.
Rs. A. P.
To Balance on 31st December 1872
6,680 4 3
,, European donation
2,427 5 6
„ Native
2 0 0
„ Special
10,523 13 0
,, Dock subscriptions
270 0 0
„ Other monthly subscrip tions
2,173 0 0
,, Government grant
2,947 2 9
„ East Indian Railway grant
6,182 0 7
„ Howrah Municipality
1,429 15 10
„ Government allowance for dieting seamen
3,239 7 0
„ Seamen's difference payment for diet
1,598 2 0
„ Railway dieting pay orders
2,378 2 0
„ Private dieting bills
1,838 11 0
„ Security deposits from contractors
572 1 0
„ Interest on government securities
660 14 0
„ Subscription for gas-fittings
500 1 3
, , C o n t r i b u t i o n f r o m t h e C h r i s t m a s c a r o l s i n g e r s
126 0 0
, , M
i s c e l l a n e o u s r e c e i p t s 923 3 0
Total
44,472 3 2
Rs. A. P.
By Establishment
9,799 11 4
„ European dieting
.5,700 15 3
„ Native
1,701 12 6
„ European dispensary
373 4 3
„ Native
23 2 11
„ Liquors and ærated waters
2,536 12 11
,, Clothing
..1,474 6 3
„ Furniture
67 5 0
„ Security deposits
357 1 0
„ Building and repairing
...3,453 8 2
„ Gas-fittings
491 12 0
„ Allowance to the Auditor
140 0 0
„ Purchase of government securities
4,500 0 0
„ Interest account
65 12 0
„ Miscellaneous payments
1,250 1 7
Total
..31,935 9 2
„ Balance on 31st December 1873
12,536 10 0
Grand Total
44,472 3 2
It will be seen from this table that the financial position of this hospital has now become
comparatively secure. This is all the more apparent when the position of the hospital to-day
is compared with what it was 13 years ago, i.e. when it was opened. In 1861 it had not
been proved by experiment how far a hospital in India could be made self-sustaining by
asking from those who could afford it payments for benefits received. It was, however, a
necessity of the constitution of the Howrah Hospital from the beginning that patients should
be asked to defray part of their hospital expenses, and the subjoined table proves how ready
many of the sick are to give according to their means.