2
REPORT ON THE
4. Fevers, bowel-complaints and those diseases classed under the
comprehensive heading of " other causes" gave rise to increased mortality
in the Town of Calcutta, while, as regards the Suburbs, there was an apparent
diminution under all these headings; but the figures for this locality cannot
be relied upon, because certain changes in the boundaries of the municipal
area which have been made during the past year have had the effect of rendering
impossible a comparison with previous years.
5. The death-rate for Howrah was 22.71 as compared with 21.68 in 1888.
Like Calcutta, it shows a diminution of deaths from cholera, while there has
been a slight increase under most of the other headings.
6. Numbers treated in Hospital.—The total number of patients treated in
the hospitals of Calcutta and Howrah has fallen considerably, the figures being
221,540 for 1889 and 253,706 for 1888. At first sight this would seem to
indicate a general diminution of sickness, but the cause of the decreased
number of patients is mainly due to other circumstances, viz., the inaccuracy of
the returns furnished by the Mayo Institutions in 1888, and a change made in
the system of admitting out-patients both at these institutions and at the
Howrah Hospital.
7. A glance at the subjoined table will show that there has been an increase
in the number of indoor patients, and that the falling off in the aggregate
number treated is solely due to a decrease in the outdoor patients.
STATEMENT No. I.
1889.
1888.
TOTAL TREATED.
Died per
mille of
treated.
TOTAL TREATED.
Died per
mille of
treated.
Indoor.
Outdoor.
Total.
Indoor.
Outdoor.
Total.
Medical College Hospital ...
. . . 6,665
50,182
56,847
89.82*
6,194
45,800
51,994
102.1*
General Hospital
. . .
. . . 3,190
. . . . . .
3,190
39.81
2,968
. . . . . .
2,968
37.39
Mayo Institutions
...
...
2,278
137,419
139,697
126.86
2,833
1 7 4 , 7 6 9
177,602
97.42
Campbell Hospital
...
. . .
8,252
......
8,252
203.95
6,497
......
6,497
215. 94
Municipal Police Hospital
...
2,432
......
2,432
8.22
2,735
......
2,735
1 0 . 9 6
Total Calcutta Hospitals
...
22,817
187,601
210,418
119.91*
21,227
220,569
241,796
115.82*
Howrah General Hospital
...
1,513
9,609
11,122
217.44
1,385
10,525
11,910
247.65
GRAND TOTAL
...
24,330
197,210
221,540
126.13*
22,612
231,094
253,706
124.05*
* Reckoned on cases treated exclusive of cases treated in the ophthalmic ward of the Medical College Hospital.
8. The Superintendent of the Mayo Institutions, at which a vast majority
of the outdoor patients of Calcutta are treated, attributes this decrease to the
closing of the hospitals on Sundays; and although it cannot be denied that
this circumstance must have had a considerable effect in diminishing the
attendance, it is very remarkable that at the Chandney Hospital not only the
outdoor, but also the indoor patients have decreased considerably, while the
death-rate among the latter has risen from 11.02 in 1888 to 69.87 per 1,000
in 1889.
9. This fact is very significant. When writing the Annual Report of the
Medical Institutions for 1887 there were certain points in connection with the
statistics of the Chandney Hospital which seemed to be somewhat peculiar and
extraordinary, and I expressed a strong suspicion that the returns for that year
were fictitious. The returns of 1888 were pronounced by Dr. Sanders, the
Superintendent, to be inaccurate, and the resident medical officer was changed,
with the result that there has been a remarkable change in the number of patients
treated in 1889, while the death-rate has risen to a point which is more in
accordance with what obtains in other hospitals in Calcutta.
10. It is to be hoped that the Superintendent will keep a watchful eye on
these institutions in future, because the great mass of the out-patients of
Calcutta are treated at them, and if their annual returns are inaccurate, it
prevents any correct inferences being drawn from the attendance, and vitiates
any comparison which may be made with other hospitals.