NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
SERIES No. VIII.—Experiments to ascertain the amount of venom which 1 C.
Cm. of serum received from Lieutenant W. G. Liston, I.M.S., Ellichpur,
Berar, was capable of neutralising.
This serum was dated 7th November 1896. It was purchased from Lille
by Lieutenant Liston in September 1898. It was imported to India the following
month. For six months it was kept in Bombay, but during the hot seasons
of 1899 and 1900 it was exposed to the great heat of Berar. It was sent to
Bombay in December, 1900. The experiments were completed between the
10th and 14th of December, 1900.
Animal.
Amount of dried
venom in
Milligrammes.
Amount of serum
in
C. Cm.
Result.
0.4
0 . 5 Died within 3 ½ hours.
Rat
1 . . .
Rat 2
. . .
0.4
0 . 8 Died within 3 ½ hours.
Rat 3
. . .
0 . 4
1 . 0 Died within 3 ½ hours.
Rat 4
. . .
0 . 4
1 . 2 5 Died in 22 hours.
Rat 5
. . .
0 . 4
1 . 5 Died within 42 hours.
Rat 6
. . .
0 . 4
1 . 5 Died within 50 hours.
Rat 7
. . .
0 . 4
1 . 7 5 Died within 48 hours.
Rat
8 . . .
0 . 4
2 . 0
Died within 42 hours.
From the above series of experiments we can say that 2 C. Cm. of this
serum failed to neutralise 0.4 0.035 mgrm.—namely, that 1 C. Cm.
could not neutralise 0.18 mgrm.
Notes and References.
(1) Lancet, May 19th, 1900, p. 1433.
(2) Lancet, May 19th, 1900, p. 1433.
(3) Lancet, January 5th, 1901, p. 25.
(4) Annales de l.Inst. Pasteur, 1897, p. 225.
(5) Intercolonial Medical Journal of Australasia, August 20th, 1897. .lbid . April
20th, 1898.
British Medical Journal, October 15th, 1898, p. 1120.
(6) British Medical Journal, April 1st, 1899, p. 781.
( 7 )L
o c . C i t .
( 8 )L
o c . C i t .
(9) British Medical Journal, February 10th, 1900, p. 309.
19
(10) Loc. Cit. In this investigation the serum was tested both by mixing the
serum and poison in vitro before injection, and by injecting the serum before
the venom. Practically identical results were got in each case.
(11) Loc. Cit.
(12) British Medical Journal, April 18th, 1896, p. 957.
(13) Calmette, 'Le Venin des Serpents,' 1896.
(14) Loc. Cit.
(15) Loc. Cit.
(16)
Loc. Cit
.
(17) Loc. Cit
.
(18) Lancet, January 5th, 1901, p. 25.
I P / 6 / H G - 4
I . P .
REPORT
ON THE
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS
FOR THE YEAR 1879
BY
A. J. PAYNE, M.D.,
Surgeon - General for Bengal.
Calcutta:
PRINTED AT THE BENGAL SECRETARIAT PRESS.
1880.
REPORT
ON THE
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS
F O R T H E Y E A R
1 8 7 9.
BY
A. J. PAYNE, M.D.,
Surgeon-General for Bengal.
Calcutta:
PRINTED AT THE BENGAL SECRETARIAT PRESS.
1880.
REPORT
ON THE
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS
FOR THE YEAR 1879.
No. 1585.
FROM A. J. PAYNE, ESQ., M.D.,
Surgeon-General for Bengal,
TO THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BENGAL,
MEDICAL AND MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT.
Dated Calcutta, the 20th April 1880.
SIR,
I HAVE the honor of reporting on the Medical Institutions of
Calcutta for the year 1879.
2. In former reports on these institutions, certain dispensaries in the suburbs
have been included. I am unable to ascertain the reason of this, and can only
suppose that it was due to their neighbouring situation. They belong in
position to the 24-Pergunnahs; they are reported on by the Civil. Surgeon with
the other district dispensaries, and are in all respects under the control of the
district authorities and local committees as the others are. Their practice and
statistics are comparable with other district institutions, rather than with
Metropolitan Hospitals. They occupy the same position as dispensaries at
sudder stations in the mofussil, which are not separated from district dispen
- s a r i e s i n t h e r e p o r t s , a n d t h e r e s e e m s t o b e n o r e a s o n f o r d e t a c h i n g t h e m f r o m
the local administration to which they belong. Some of these reasons would
be reasons also for excluding the Howrah General Hóspital from this report, but
there are others which make its inclusion desirable. It is a general hospital
receiving both European and Native patients. Some of the former races are
among the registered inhabitants of the town, viz. the seamen of the port of
Calcutta. It is the only hospital with European inmates whose finances are not
directly controlled by Government, and is useful for comparison with the general
hospitals of the town. I propose therefore to deal with the Howrah Hospital
as it has been dealt with in former years, and to treat of the suburban dispen
- s a r i e s i n t h e g e n e r a l r e p o r t o n d i s p e n s a r i e s o f t h e p r o v i n c e .
3.
Health of Calcutta.—The general health of the town of Calcutta, as
shown in the municipal returns, was much better in 1879 than it had been in
1878. The death-rate was 30 per 1,000 of population in 1879, and 38 in 1878.
During the first quarter of 1879 small-pox continued to prevail, but the
epidemic then came to an end, and the season of ordinary recurrence towards the
end of the year was not marked by any exceptional prevalence of this disease.
Food-grains, which had been sold almost at famine prices for some time pre
- v i o u s l y , f e l l c o n s i d e r a b l y i n c o s t i n t h e c o u r s e o f 1 8 7 9 , a n d t h e e n o r m o u s f e v e r
mortality of 1878, which had evidently been connected with scarcity, was not
repeated in the later year.
4
REPORT ON THE
STATEMENT
DISEASES.
MEDICAL COLLEGE HOSPITAL.
GENERAL HOSPITAL.
MAYO HOSPITAL.
Europeans.
III
Natives.
Europeans.
N a t i v e s .
T r e a t e d .
Di e d .
D i e d p e r 1 , 0 0 0 .
T r e a t e d .
D i e d .
D i e d p e r 1 , 0 0 0 .
Treated.
Di e d .
D i e d p e r 1 , 0 0 0 .
T r e a t e d .
Di ed.
D i e d p e r 1 , 0 0 0 .
GENERAL DISEASES.
Order A—Febrile or Zymotic
diseases.
Small-pox
9
. . .
. . .
11
1
90.9
8
. . .
. . .
2
. . .
. . .
Malarious fever, ague, and remittent
456
21
46.05
256
31 121.09
994
4
4.02
444
24 54.05
Cholera
20
8
400
83
47 566.2
39
25 641.02
186
88 473.1
Other diseases of this order
14
3 214.2
11
3 272.7
22
6 272.7
9
2 222.2
Total
499
32
64.1
361
82 227.1
1,063
35
32.9
641
114 177.8
Order B—Constitutional diseases.
Rheumatic affections
25
1
40
2
. . .
. . .
78
. . .
. . .
59
1
16.9
Syphilitic affections
22
1
45.4
22
1
45.4
90
2
22.2
41
. . .
. . .
Scrofula
1
. . .
. . .
3
. . .
. . .
1
...
. . .
2
...
. . .
Anæmia
7
1
142.8
10
...
. . .
11
...
. . .
1
1
1,000
Leprosy
1
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
1 ...
. . .
Phthisis
79
20 253.1
50
17
340
57
11
192.9
24
6
250
Dropsy
8
2
250
3
. . .
. . .
2
1
500
9
1
111.1
Other diseases of this order
7
2
285.7
76
8 105.2
13
1
76.9
29
. . .
. . .
Total
150
27 180
166
26 156.6
252
15
59.5
166
9
54.2
LOCAL DISEASES.
Ophthalmia
6
. . .
. . .
1
...
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
29
. . .
. . .
Inflammation of the external ear
2
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
15
...
. . .
1 ...
. . .
Goitre
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
1
1
1,000
. . .
. . .
. . .
Respiratory affections
123
8
65.04
140
44 314.2
135*
8
59.2
134
23 171.6
Heart diseases
15
3 200
11
1
90.9
22
3 136.3
7
2 285.7
Dysentery
63
14 222.2
72
27 375
200
13
65
78
11 179.4
Diarrhœa
108
8
74.07
44
10
227.2
207
15
72.4
38
12 315.7
Worms
1 4
...
. . .
4
. . .
. . .
9
. . .
. . .
1
...
. . .
Liver diseases
53
4
75.4
42
11
2 6 1 . 9
54
12 222.2
18
1
55.5
Spleen diseases
60
2
33.3
57
7 122.8
51
3
58.8
42
1
23.8
Gonorrhœa and its complications
28
2
71.4
14
3 214.2
93
...
. . .
17
1
58.8
Abscesses, boils, and whitlow
66
2
30.3
63
7 111.1
67*
3
44.7
70
5
71.4
Skin diseases
14
...
. . .
9
1 111.1
45
. . .
. . .
2
. . .
. . .
Ulcer
40
1
25
19
. . .
. . .
7 8 ...
. . .
43
2
46.5
Labour premature, natural and diffi-
cult
97
3
30.9
160
19
118.7
35
1
28.5
2
. . .
. . .
Other local diseases
551
31
56.2
596
116 194.6
583*
25
42.8
339
62 182.8
Total
1,240
78
62.9
1,232
246 199.6
1,595
84
5 2 . 6
8 2 1
1 2 3
149.8
CONDITIONS NEITHER GENERAL NOR
LOCAL.
Debility and old age
9 0
. . .
. . .
53
...
. . .
44
. . .
. . .
. . . ...
. . .
Poisons and poisoned wounds
60
4
6 6 . 6
6 9
14
202.8
46
3
65.2
27
5
185.1
Injuries
87
6
68.9
284
44 154.9
115
5
43.4
390
34 87.1
Total
237
10
42.1
406
58 142.8
205
8
39.02
417
39
93.5
GRAND TOTAL
2,126
1 4 7 69.1
2,165
412 190.3
3,115
142
45.5
2,045
285 139.36
* Including a native servant
t Excluding 38 cases with
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
19
96. At the Park Street Dispensary 31,505 was the total and 259 the
average, against 30,911 and 254 in 1878.
97. At Sukea Street 16,457 and 146, against 17,359 and 150 in 1878,
all out-patients.
98. The aggregate numbers were as follow:—
In patients 2,045, daily average 94.
Out patients 176,814, average 1,475.
In 1878 the numbers were
—
In-patients 2,127, daily average 103.
Out-patients 188,637, average 1,530.
HOWRAH GENERAL HOSPITAL.
99. Surgeon-Major Pilcher was in charge of this hospital during nine
months of the year. His place was taken for three months by Surgeon
W. F. Murray.
100. The number of cases treated was less than it had been for years.
It was reduced by careful selection of cases for admission, by smaller
numbers of railway servants and seamen seeking admission, and by improve-
ment in the public health.
101. The accommodation for natives, heretofore very deficient, was in
1879 more than sufficient by reason of the space gained after conversion of a part
of the old jail to hospital use. The new native ward close at hand approaches
completion.
102. There was a sensible decrease in the outdoor attendance of native
patients. It was found that many persons had been obtaining treatment who
could well afford to pay for it.
103. The attendance of the last four years has been numerically as
stated below:—
YEARS.
AVERAGE DAILY SICK.
Europeans and Eurasians.
Natives.
Indoor.
Outdoor.
Indoor.
Outdoor.
1876
47.61
20 11
55.69
127.06
1877
45.43
21.13
54.49
173.54
1878
38.85
13.52
56.07
203.55
1879
27.35
16.37
43 45
117.88
104. The death-rate of Europeans and Eurasians was 53.8 per 1,000,
against 55.5 in 1878, and of natives 332, against 346. Dysentery and diarrhoea
alone contributed 222 deaths to a total of 391 native deaths. The death-rates
from these diseases were very high: from dysentery 494, and from diarrhœa
542 per 1,000 of total treated,—a death-rate as high as that of cholera. The
proportion of hopeless and moribund cases received into this hospital is
greater than it is in any other. Dr. Pilcher says that half the native in-patients
"are serious cases of injury and moribunds." Of the deaths of the year, more
than one-fifth occurred within 24 hours after admission, and more than a
third within three days. It has already been noted that moribund persons
were much better accommodated in 1879 than at any previous time.
105. The Superintendent reports favourably on the water-supply, drainage,
and conservancy of the hospital. He observes, however, that the latrine is far
from the wards, and less serviceable than it might be on this account.
106. The establishment on the whole worked fairly well. The cases of
the cashier, diet-roll clerk, and sircar, and the frauds detected in 1879, have
been made the subject of separate reports. The system of record now intro-
duced. by the Committee will, it is believed, render such things impossible in
future.
20
REPORT ON THE
107. It has been usual to append to the report on the Calcutta Medical
Institutions a summary of the report presented to the Commissioner of Police
on the lock-hospitals. That report is reviewed by the Government when it is
received through the Police Department. I have therefore thought it undesir
-able to add to the length of this report, and delay its submission by comment
-ing on the lock-hospital report, which I ought to mention was forwarded to me
in due time.
I have the honor to be,
SIR,
Your most obedient servant,
A. J . PAYNE, M.D.,
Surgeon-General, Bengal.
MEDICAL & MUNICIPAL DEPT.
MEDICAL.
DARJEELING, THE 3RD JUNE 1880.
RESOLUTION.
R EAD—
The Report on the Calcutta Medical Institutions for 1879.
Read also
—
The Reports for 1877 and 1878 and the Resolutions recorded thereon.
The Surgeon-General has excluded from the scope of the present Report
North Suburban Hospital.
Alipore Dispensary.
Bhowanipore Dispensary.
Aratoon Apcar Dispensary.
the working of the suburban dispensaries named on
the margin, of the Calcutta Nurses' Institution, and
of the Calcutta lock-hospitals. The returns of the
suburban dispensaries will appear more appro-
priately in the Dispensary Report. The operations of the Nurses' Institution
are not now confined to the hospitals, and are separately laid before the Govern--
ment and the public. The lock-hospitals also form the subject of a separate
report. The present report deals only with what are, strictly speaking, metro-
politan general hospitals, including the General Hospital at Howrah.
2. In considering the working of these institutions during 1879, the
Surgeon-General rightly starts by enquiring as to the health conditions of
Calcutta in that year in respect of its general population. It appears that,
according to the municipal returns, the death-rate was only 30 per 1,000, as
against 38 in 1878. Save during the first quarter, there was no exceptional
prevalence of small-pox as there had been in the previous year. Food was
cheaper, and the great fever mortality of 1878, which was evidently connected
with dear food, was not repeated. These facts would naturally lead to an
expectation of a falling off in the numbers requiring hospital treatment, espe-
ci al l y i n out - pat i ent s; and t hi s r educt i on i s t he most pr omi nent f eat ur e i n t he
returns of the year.
3. The following table shows the extent to which the public resorted to
the hospitals as patients during the past three years:—
1. Medical College Hospital
1879.
1878.
1877.
In-door. Out-door. Total.
In-door. Out-door. Total.
In-door. Out-door. Total.
4,814
51,208
56,022
5,148
48,986
54,134
4,967
47,506
52,473
2. General Hospital
3,115
. . . . . .
3,115
4,280
. . . . . .
4,280
5,144
20,248
25,392
3. Mayo Hospital and dispensaries
2,045
176,814
178,859
2,127
188,637
190,764
2,127
187,903
190,030
4. Campbell Hospital
8,293
......
8,293
11,001
. . . . . .
11,001
6,953
. . . . . .
6,953
5. Police Hospital
2,683
......
2,683
3,396
......
3,396
2,859
......
2,859
-
Total Calcutta Hospitals
20,950
228,022
248,972
25,952
237,623
263,575
22,050
255,657
277,707
G. Howrah Hospital
1,770
14,276
16,046
2,502
20,405
22,907
2,463
19,327
21,790
GRAND TOTA L
22,720
242,298
265,018
28,454
258,028
286,482
24,513
274,984
299,497
The total number of patients treated in these hospitals, year by year,
since 1873, was as follows:—
1873
216,400
1876
288,742
1874
...
... 237,628
1877
..299,497
1875
287,304
1878
286,432
1879
265,018
The enormous rise in the figures of 1875 was caused almost entirely by an
increase in the numbers treated at the Mayo Hospital and its dependencies, and
(9)
ORDER.—Ordered that a copy of the Resolution and of the Report be sub
-
mitted for the information of the Government of India in the Home, Revenue
and Agricultural Department.
Ordered also that a copy of the Resolution be forwarded to the Surgeon-
General, Bengal, for information and guidance.
Ordered also that a copy of the Resolution and of the Report be forwarded
to the Chairman of the Corporation of the Town of Calcutta, and to the Com
-
missioner of Police, Calcutta, for information.
By order of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
A. MACKENZIE,
Secretary to the Government of Bengal.
No. 315T.
COPY, with a copy of the Report, submitted to the Government of India
in the Home, Revenue, and Agricultural Department for information.
No. 316T.
COPY forwarded to the Surgeon-General, Bengal, for information and
guidance.
No. 317T.
COPY, with a copy of the Report, forwarded to the Chairman of the Cor
-
poration of the Town of Calcutta for information.
No. 318T.
COPY, with a copy of the Report, forwarded to the Commissioner of Police,
Calcutta, for information.
By order of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
A. MACKENZIE,
Secretary to the Government of Bengal.
DARJEELING,
The 3rd June 1880.
W.M.E.—Reg. No. 2776C—150—9-6-80.