( 2 )
The following figures exhibit the working of the Dental dispensary at
the Medical College during the past three years :—
1884.
1885.
1886.
Extractions... ...
1,352
1,396
1,673
Stoppings
...
...
105
112
130
Miscellaneous cases ...
...
254
240
359
Total
1,711
1,748
2,162
In the Eden Hospital nearly the same number of cases were treated
by the Obstetric Physician in 1886 and in 1885, there being rather fewer
European and rather more native patients, and one more death than in 1885.
The results of the treatment of confinement cases are very satisfactory. The
death-rate in these cases was only 3.82 per cent., and this although some of
the patients appeared for the first time when they had reached a hopeless
condition.
The results of major operations at the Medical College Hospital were
not so successful as in the year 1885. There were 53 deaths out of a total of 487
cases. In the Ophthalmic wards 423 in-door and 6,605 out-door patients were
treated against 524 and 6,436 respectively in the previous year. The percent
- a g e o f s u c c e s s f u l c a s e s i n o p e r a t i o n s f o r c a t a r a c t w a s g r e a t e r t h a n l a s t y e a r .
Enteric fever presented itself during the year only in the Medical
College and Presidency General Hospitals. The number of cases in both the
hospitals was the same as in the previous year. The number of cases of remittent
fever treated in 1886 (706) is the lowest on record since 1873. The Inspector
- G e n e r a l m a k e s t h e f o l l o w i n g o b s e r v a t i o n s r e g a r d i n g t h e d i f f i c u l t y e x p e r i e n c e d
in the correct classification of these diseases : —
" The same uncertainty obtains in the correct classification of the severer form of remittent
fever, typhoid in type, and the true enteric fever of cold and semi-tropical climates ; and
nothing has been elicited during the year in elucidation of the difficulty experienced in this
country in defining the diagnostic line between the two diseases. Seventeen cases of enteric
fever were treated in the General Hospital in the year under report, and six died. One case
only was admitted into the Medical College Hospital. The subject was a boy aged 9 years.
He completely recovered. From the uncertainty in the nomenclature and smallness in the
numbers presented in this table, no general or useful inferences are justifiable."
An important improvement was effected during the year in the
opening of a children's ward in the Medical College Hospital. Formerly
children used to be treated in the female wards of the Medical College and
Presidency General Hospitals. Now one of the female wards of the former
institution has been divided, and the portion thus cut off has been furnished
throughout with the assistance of charity for the accommodation of European
and Eurasian children.
10. The system of nursing which has been established at the Medical
College, Presidency General, and Eden Hospitals continues to afford the highest
satisfaction. Everybody concerned has borne grateful testimony to the
benefits which have accrued from the trained skill of the nurses, and the
Lieutenant-Governor desires again to place on record his recognition and high
appreciation of the good work which is being done by them.
11. The circumstances of the Police Hospital are exceptional and admit
of no comparison with those of other hospitals. The proportion of admission
per 1,000 of the total strength was 802.10 against 767.61 in 1885. The daily
average number of sick was 94.09 against 89.18 in 1885. As in 1885, ague,
dysentery and veneral diseases prevailed during the year. The total number
of deaths was 29 against 28 in 1885.
12. During the year 484 in-patients were treated in the voluntary Lock
-hospitals (viz. 89 in the Sealdah Lock-hospital and 395 in the Alipore Lock-
hospital) against 414 in 1885. The daily average number of patients treated
was 103.4 against 90 in. 1885. The deaths among in-patients numbered twenty
- t h r e e a g a i n s t 1 8 i n 1 8 8 5 . T h e n u m b e r o f o u t - d o o r p a t i e n t s w a s 1 , 6 2 9 a g a i n s t
1,889 in 1885. Of these, 38 were treated in the Sealdah Lock-hospital and
1,591 in the Al pore Lock-hospital. The daily average number was 6.2 against
6.5 in the previous year. Ague, rheumatism, dysentery and splenitis formed
the chief diseases. Cholera and small-pox were absent from the hospitals.