CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS. 3
I am unable to suggest any inferences from this table. By its form it
purports to give data for estimating the prevalence of sickness among separate
communities, but several considerations weigh against this use of the figures.
They are themselves wanting in precision. It is difficult, if not impossible, to
classify the mixed inmates of a Calcutta hospital with exactness sufficient for statis-
tical reckoning. Eurasians often represent themselves to be Europeans, and
Native Christians pass for Eurasians. Even if distinction were clear enough
to admit of comparison with census race numbers, there would remain a
difficulty connected with the social classes to which hospital patients belong,
a point in which the census itself is confessedly weak. If we add to this
the fact that the number of admissions is affected by hospital accommodation,
and in some places even determined by it, we have a certainty that no statis-
tical purpose can be served by analysis of the table. For a similar reason
I omit the proportional tables hitherto given to show numbers per cent which
the several communities contribute to the total sick.
STATEMENT No. III.
YEARS.
ALL DISEASES, EXCEPT CASES
TREATED IN EYE INFIRMARY.
CHOLERA.
Death-rate,
excluding
cholera.
Number of s_
deaths regis-
t e r e d by t he
municipality.
Rate per
mi l l e of popul at i on.
Treated.
Died.
Died per
mille.
Treated.
Died.
Died per
mille.
1872
19,187
2,531
131
415
206
496
123
11,923
27.8
1873
17,448
2,565
147
459
245
533
136
11,558
26.9
1874
1 9 , 4 9 0
3,037
155
628
311
495
144
12,641
29.4
1875
22,062
3,641
165
728
371
509
153
15,069
35
1876
21,087
3,064
145
695
369
530
132
1 2 , 9 6 4
3 0 . 2
1877
23,977
3,172
132
545
284
521
123
13,704
31.9
1878
27,908
4,518
161
579
323
557
153
16,396
38.1
1879
22,197
3,602
162
6 3 4
351
553
150
13,044
30.3
9. Hospital Mortality.—This table exhibits the general mortality in
hospital, including and excluding deaths from cholera, in the year under
review and the previous seven years. The general death-rate was practically
the same as that of 1878, and the rate, exclusive of cholera, was slightly less.
In this table it will be observed that the inmates of the Eye Infirmary have
been excluded throughout.
10. Though the number of sick persons in hospital was less in 1879
than in the previous very unhealthy year, it was still a high number, and in
the Campbell Hospital greatly exceeded the numbers of ordinary years. The
cases of small-pox treated were even more numerous than those of 1878, and
though the disease became less fatal as the epidemic expired, it accounted for
94 deaths. Cholera, though less prevalent in the town generally, showed
some slight excess in the hospitals, and caused 28 additional deaths.
This was due to the reception into the Campbell Hospital in 1879, for the
first time, of coolies from suburban emigration depots suffering from cholera.
Malarious fevers were less fatal than in 1878, as well as less prevalent. Diseases
of low condition, as anæmia and debility, were of equal prevalence, but much less
fatal in 1879. Dropsies were presented in usual number, but were very fatal.
It does not appear that the name includes cases of the " æcute œdema" which
have created some sensation lately; indeed nothing is said of this affection in
the hospital reports of the town. Respiratory affections, with equal prevalence,
were less fatal than in 1878. Cases of dysentery and diarrhœa were less numerous
than in the former year, but showed a very high death-rate. A fatal form of
dysentery is particularly noted among the seamen, but it was by no means
confined to them. A high death-rate from dysentery distinguished the year
under review throughout the town and suburbs.