20
REPORT ON THE
this, the charges consist of lighting, which cost Rs. 1,646; cloth for bandages
R s . 2 , 4 9 4 ; c o n t i n g e n c i e s , i n c l u d i n g c o a l f o r b o i l e r a n d i c e , R s . 1 , 3 4 5 ; c l o t h i n g
R s . 2 , 9 1 3 ; a n d b u r n i n g a n d b u r y i n g c h a r g e s R s . 6 6 7 . I n 1 8 7 9 t h e c h a r g e s
under these heads were Rs. 1,537, Rs. 2,178, Rs. 1,918, Rs. 1,857 and Rs. 774
respectively. In the Choonee Lall Seal's Dispensary the amount expended
was Rs. 356.
44. Rs. 10,872 were expended on quadrennial and petty repairs to the
building against Rs. 2,887 in 1879.
45. Presidency General Hospital. —There is no invested capital or floating
balance in this hospital. Here all the expenses are in the first instance drawn
from the Treasury, and the total receipts from paying-patients and Port Funds
are deducted from the total expenditure, the balance representing the actual
outlay of Government. This process of calculation is inevitable. The state
- m e n t a s i t n o w s t a n d s i s g o o d , i n s o f a r a s i t s h o w s a t o n c e t h e a c t u a l a i d
given by Government towards the maintenance of this hospital.
46. The total expenditure of the hospital was Rs. 1,02,352 against
Rs. 94,664 in 1879. The increase was chiefly due to more money spent for diet
than in 1879, owing to larger number of daily average sick treated in 1880,
which was 152 against 134 in 1879. Clothing also cost a great deal more in
the year, as the old stock, which had become exhausted, had to be replaced.
The income from paying-patients and Port Funds amounted to Rs. 65,168
against Rs. 61,241 in 1879. The increase is due entirely to the sailors having
been charged at a uniform rate of Rs. 2 a day in 1880, instead of partly at
Re. 1 and partly at Rs. 2 as in 1879. Deducting the income from the total
outlay, the cost to Government was Rs. 37,183 against Rs. 33,422.
47. There was no change of importance in the establishment, which
cost Rs. 53,476 against Rs. 53,558 in 1879.
48. The expenditure on bazar medicines shows a reduction of Rs. 626
on that of 1879. The disparity of practice in the hospitals in reckoning
particular items included under the designation of "Bazar medicines" and
"Miscellaneous charges" forbids close comparison of one hospital with another.
49. The expenditure on diet and stimulants amounted to Rs. 28,417
against Rs. 23,908 in 1879, and the cost per patient per diem was seven annas
eleven pies against seven annas ten pies in 1879. This is considerably higher
than the charge at the Medical College. The preponderance of Europeans
is a probable cause. The expenditure on stimulants was Rs. 1,206 against
Rs. 1,725 in 1879.
50. The cost of English medicines was Rs. 5,176 against Rs. 4,100 in
1879. The amount shown in the report for 1879 was recorded for the official
instead of the calendar year. The expenditure per head reckoned on the average
sick treated was at the rate of Rs. 34 per annum against Rs. 30. The charge is
therefore both absolutely and proportionally greater. Dr. Jones explains that
the demands for 1879 were greatly met from the stock of medicines which
remained in store on 1st March 1879. In 1880 there was no reserve to draw
upon, and most of the drugs had to be obtained from store which, with enlarged
numbers, led to the corresponding increase in the cost. In 1878 the cost of
medicines supplied was Rs 5,785.
51. Miscellaneous charges include the following items:—Taxes Rs. 1,485,
lighting Rs. 1,896, clothing Rs. 2,197, burning and burying charges Rs. 67,
petty repairs Rs. 204, library charges Rs. 131, and other contingent charges
Rs. 702. The total was Rs 6,685 against Rs. 4,928 in 1879.
52. The amount charged by the Public Works Department for repairs
was Rs. 6,740 against Rs. 6,131 in 1879.
53. Campbeli Hospital.— T h e r e
i s n o i n v e s t e d c a p i t a l o r c a s h b a l a n c e i n
this hospital. The Municipality contributed as usual Rs. 30,000, and Rs. 972
were realized from paying-patients and Port Funds, against Rs. 1,201 in 1879.
Of this amount Rs. 885 were remitted to the Treasury, Rs. 87 due from the Port
Commissioners being adjusted interdepartmentally. Besides this, Rs. 635
were received by sale of grass and farming of the tanks, and Rs. 126 by sale
of condemned articles. The latter was remitted to the Treasury to the credit
of Government, and Rs. 628 were expended from the former in the filling up
of a tank, pay of extra mallies, and purchase of garden implements.