RESOLUTION.
MEDICAL.
Calcutta, the 12th August 1889.
READ—
Report on the Calcutta Medical Institutions for the year 1888.
Read also
—
The Report for the year 1887, and the Resolution recorded on it.
The death-rate in Calcutta and the Suburbs, though considerably below
the average of the ten years ending with 1885, rose in Calcutta from 25.34
per mille in 1887 to 26.97, the increase falling mainly under the heads of Cholera
and Other causes; while in the Suburbs it has increased from 42.17 to 42.49, the
increase being under the head of Cholera. In Howrah the recorded death-rate
has risen from 17.05 to 21.68, the increase being spread over all heads, while
deaths from cholera alone increased twofold. The following table shows that
notwithstanding there has been a considerable decrease in the number of patients
treated in the hospitals. This may possible be partly due to the fact that
fever appears to have been slightly less prevalent than in 1887:—
MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
1888.
1887.
TOTAL TREATED.
Died per
mille of
treated.
TOTAL TREATED.
Died per
mille of
t r e a t e d .
In-door. Out-door.
Total.
In-door. Out-door.
Total.
Medical College Hospital ...
...
6,194
45,800
51,994
102.1*
5,953
48,518
54,471
105.1*
General Hospital
. . .
. . .
2,968
. . . . . .
2,968
37.39
2,966
. . . . . .
2.966
41.13
Mayo Institutions
. . .
. . .
2,833
174,769
177,602
97.42
2,736
179,249
181,985
85.5
Campbell Hospital
. . .
. . .
6,497
. . . . . .
6,497
215.94
6,432
. . . . . .
6,432
210.35
Municipal Police Hospital ...
...
2,735
......
2,735
10.96
2,738
......
2,738
8.4
Total Calcutta Hospitals
...
21,227
220,569
241,796
115.82*
20,825
227,767
248,592
113.39*
Howrah General Hospital ...
...
1,385
10,525
11,910
247.65
1,502
11,083
12,585
183.7
GRAND TOTAL
...
22,612
231,094
253,706
124.05*
22,327
238,850
261,177 118.21*
•
*Reckoned on cases treated exclusive of cases treated in the ophthalmic ward of the Medical College Hospital.
The figures for Calcutta are vitiated by the fact that the Chandney Hospital
( a t t a c h e d t o t h e M a y o H o s p i t a l ) r e t u r n s h a v e b e e n d i s c o v e r e d t o b e i n a c c u r a t e .
The Resident Medical officer has been changed, and it is to be hoped the
Superintendent will succeed in future in more effectually checking the returns
submitted.
2. The number of Hindu and Mahomedan women and children treated
has fallen from 78,805 in 1887 to 69,115 in 1888, and it is suggested this may
be due to the successful working of the out-door department of the Dufferin
Hospital.
3. The death-rate among the treated rose from 114 to 124, owing
to the increased number of deaths from cholera; excluding these, the death-rate
fell from 105 to 104, the lowest since 1881 excepting 1886. The causes of the
high death-rate in the Campbell and Howrah Hospitals were explained in last
year's Resolution.
4. The number of small-pox cases continues to be very small. Only 11
cases were admitted in 1886, 18 in 1887, and 23 in 1888. All patients
suffering from this disease are now treated in the Campbell Hospital, where
special wards are constructed for them. There were as usual very few cases of
enteric fever; only 10 were treated throughout the year.
5. In the Calcutta Institution there has been a satisfactory increase in the
number of important surgical operations from 1,488 in 1887 to 1,719; while
minor operations rose from 16,487 to 20,264. The death-rate in the former fell
from 50.81 to 46 per mille. Dr. Hilson suggests that to enable the students
attached to the Campbell Hospital to get more practical instruction in surgery,
a small out-door department should be added. He is requested to submit a
detailed scheme for the consideration of Government. In the Mayo Hospital
and the dispensaries attached to it, many very important operations were
performed. The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals is still of opinion that the
number of dislocations reported from some of the dispensaries as reduced are
incorrectly stated, being largely in excess of the normal numbers reported from