CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
have been expected, considering the very large staff of medical officers who
are attached to it. The death-rate was 84 per mille in 1890, against 44 in 1889,
and a very large proportion of the cataract, lithotomy and other cases were
unsuccessful. It is true that many of the patients who frequent this hospital
are admitted in a weak and anæmic condition and are often starving, and such
individuals are doubtless not good subjects for operation; but there must be
a considerable number who are in fairly good health, and if the cases for
operation are properly selected, there ought not to be so large a mortality.
In connection with this subject Dr. Cobb, the Superintendent, urges that an
out-door department, which was proposed two years ago, should be added to the
hospital, and I am happy to state that its construction, which was postponed
for want of funds, is now about to be proceeded with. Not only will this
department, when completed, be most useful to the general population living in
the neighbourhood, but Dr. Cobb expects it will afford better opportunities of
teaching practical surgery to the students of the school attached to the hospital.
34. At the Mayo Institutions there were 253 operations, against 230 in the
previous year. The death-rate was 49.24 per mille, against 48.97 in 1889. At
the Mayo Hospital itself there were 189 operations, which are much the same as
in previous years. The following are some of the more important:—
Cataract
. . .
. . .
. . .
...
36 of which 29 were
successful.
Lithotomy
...
...
. . .
. . .
1
Litholopaxy ...
. . .
. . .
. . .
3
Herniotomy ...
...
...
...
1
Scrotal tumours
. . .
. . .
. . .
13
Amputations . .
...
...
...
16
The chief operator was Surgeon-Major Sanders. The Resident Surgeon,
Dr. Jones, performed 14, and House Surgeons Soshi Bushan Mookerjee,
Monmatho Nath Chatterjee, and Nil Ratan Sircar performed 15, 12 and 11
respectively. At the Chandney Hospital there were 16 major operations, of
which one was tracheotomy, performed by the House Surgeon, S. P. Surbadhikari,
and proved successful. There were very few cases of reductions of dislocations.
At the Park Street Dispensary there were 15 major operations, which consisted of
10 reductions of dislocation and five tumours removed. At the Sukea's Street
Dispensary there were four important operations, and at the Chitpore Dispen-
sary 29.
35. Turning to the Howrah Hospital we find there were 111 operations,
which is a considerable improvement upon the previous year. The more impor-
tant were performed by Brigade Surgeon Purves, Surgeon-Major Tomes,
Apothecaries Burnett and Nugent, and Assistant Surgeon Amrito Lall Deb,
23 falling to the last-mentioned officer. Dr. Tomes performed seven extractions
of cataract and Dr. Purves one, all being successful. Indeed, it may be said that
the practical surgery generally at this hospital was attended with much success,
the death-rate per mille after operation being 16.94, against 65.79 in 1889—a
result which reflects much credit on the hospital staff. Brigade Surgeon
Purves in his annual report gives an interesting account of several operations
which were performed under considerable difficulties and with a most successful
termination, attributable to the care bestowed on the after-treatment by the
House Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons.
36. Dental Practice.—The particulars of this are given below :—
1889.
1890.
Extractions
...
2,004
1,661
Fillings ...
101
126
Miscellaneous operations
431
533
2,536
2,320
Although the above table shows a smaller number of extractions, the amount
of good work compares favourably with former years, and it would not be fair to
judge of the success of this department by the number of extractions, because
the object of good dentistry is to render extractions as seldom necessary as
possible. Mr. Wood, who superintends this department, obtained a grant of
17