( 4 )
the hospitals of the metropolis. The total income of the mofussil dispensaries
amounted in 1889 to Rs. 4,73,332, and the expenditure to Rs. 4,37,095, sums
which correspond approximately to the income and expenditure of the Calcutta
Medical Institutions during the past year. But the income derived from
private subscriptions came to Rs. 1,36,738, against Rs. 12,171 subscribed in
Calcutta, and that from municipal allotments to Rs. 1,61,843 against Rs. 34,347
in Calcutta, making a total of Rs. 2,98,581 compared with Rs. 46,518 collected
under these heads in Calcutta.
10. The total expenditure of the year fell from Rs. 5,01,971 (the actuals
of 1889 excluding a small sum invested) to Rs. 4,53,522, nearly the whole
decrease being due to diminished expenditure under the head of buildings and
repairs. The cost of bazar medicines, Europe medicines, and diet shows no
material variations. There was a rise of Rs. 5,968 in the charges for establish-
ment, and a decrease of Rs. 9,952 under the head of miscellaneous charges.
11. In conclusion, the Lieutenant-Governor would observe that this report,
which treats of the most important medical institutions in the country, actually
conveys less information regarding their working than is regularly given for
every charitable dispensary in Bengal. The statistical tables which are
annexed to the Report on Charitable Dispensaries contain more facts, and
present them in a more intelligible form, than the comparatively meagre state
-ments which are inserted in the text of the Report on the Calcutta Hospitals.
It is, for example, impossible to ascertain from the latter report the average cost
of a diet in each of the Calcutta hospitals, although this point is one which has
a most important bearing on hospital management, and requires constant
watching; and in the case of the Calcutta hospitals formed the subject of an
elaborate enquiry about twelve years ago. Statement I, showing the number
treated in the Calcutta hospitals, is less useful than the corresponding state
-ment (II) for the dispensaries, in so far as it does not show the number of beds
available, the daily average of in-door and out-door patients, and the propor
-tion of men, women, and children treated as in-door patients. Again state
-ment No. II, giving the race and sex of all patients, does not distinguish the
institutions they resorted to, nor does it show the average daily attendance for
each class, or the proportions of men, women, and children making up the total.
In all these points it is inferior to table No. IV, annexed to the Dispensaries
Report. With reference to these remarks the Inspector-General should, in
his report for next year, revise the statements given in the report under
review, and should endeavour to expand them so as to convey fuller information,
and to bring them as far as possible into correspondence with those given in the
Report on Charitable Dispensaries.
ORDER.—Ordered that a copy of the Resolution, with a copy of the Report,
be submitted to the Government of India for information.
Ordered also that a copy of the Resolution be forwarded to the Inspector-
General of Civil Hospitals for information and guidance; that a copy of
the Resolution and of the Report be forwarded to the Chairman of the
Corporation and the Commissioner of Police, Calcutta, for information; and
that a copy of the Resolution be forwarded to the Governors of the Mayo
Hospital, to the Commissioner of Burdwan, and the Sanitary Commissioner for
information.
Ordered also that the Resolution be published in the Calcutta Gazette.
By order of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
H. H. RISLEY,
Offg. Secretary to the Govt of Bengal.
No. 1187.
COPY of the above Resolution and of the Report submitted to the Govern
-ment of India, in the Home Department, for information.
No. 1188.
COPY of the above Resolution forwarded to the Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals, Bengal, for information and guidance.