12
REPORT ON THE
exact details of Lister's methods." After giving particulars of modified but
liberal use of antiseptic dressing, Dr. Cayley continues:—"I am fully convinced
of the great value of such practice. The cost of antiseptic treatment is doubtless
greater than that of the older plans, but is quite within the means of any
ordinary hospital, and it is quite practicable both in hospital and outside
practice, Strict Listerism, in all its details, is more difficult and expensive, and
especially spray producers are costly, easily get out of order, and are rather
difficult to manage without careful and skilful assistance."
29. At the Campbell Hospital, the results of treatment in 1881 were
practically the same as at the Medical College, and those at the Mayo Hos-
pital were, as I have said, much better. If the cases were minutely examined,
I have no doubt that both the advocates and opponents of Listerism would find
their doctrines confirmed under the innumerable conditions and contingencies
that would be brought forward. I will content myself, therefore, with putting
the recorded events of the year into their proper place in the series, suggest-
ing a provisional inference, and leaving all else until numbers shall accumu-
late sufficiently to correct their own errors, as it is the known habit of large
numbers to do.
30. The broad facts relating to the class of test cases, viz., major ampu-
tations (thigh, leg, foot, shoulder, arm, and forearm) are these. For eight years,
from 1870 to 1877, the Medical College Hospital produced an average rate per
cent. of 36 deaths after these operations. The results were good as compared
with those of the Metropolitan Hospitals in Europe. In 1878 the death-rate was
25.9 per cent. It was 39 per cent. in 1879 and 25 per cent. in 1880. In 1881
t he r at e was 30. 1 per cent . , t he mor t al i t y af t er each cl ass of oper at i on
being ordinary. This last death-rate approaches that which prevailed at
the College before the introduction of Listerism, and that of the Campbell
Hospital (viz. 33.3) in the same year without Listerism. It is a rate which
compares not unfavourably with the rates of Metropolitan Hospitals in Europe;
and this being so, I venture, while leaving to the future the precise relations
of cause and effect, to regard the facts as proof that at the Medical College
Hospital nothing material is wanting to the production of good results from
surgical practice, and I submit that, so long as this state of things continues,
there is nothing that administration need or can do more.
31. Dental practice .—The following figures exhibit the working of the
dental dispensary at the Medical College:—
1881.
1880.
Extractions
1,264
8 7 3
Stoppings
111
94
Miscellaneous cases
291
318
Total
1,666
1,285
32. Obstetric practice—The number of house-patients treated by the
Obstetric Physician was 1,008 against 1,277, 1,204, 1,238, 1,109 and 1,155 in the
preceding five years. There were 242 deliveries against 296 in 1880 and 247,
264, 260, 250, and 226 in the five earlier years. Of the women delivered, 88
were European and Eurasian, and 154 were natives.
In the out-door branch of this department, there were 6,500 new cases
treated during the first six months of the year, and, among them, 195 minor
operations were performed. On the 4th September the out-door practice was
joined to that of the general dispensary and, for convenience, the cases
treated in the second-half of the year were returned as belonging to the
dispensary.
33. Ophthalmic Hospital.—The Lieutenant-Governor having desired that
the practice of this hospital should be shown apart from the ophthalmic practice
of the other institutions, it is presented in the following figures. Of in-patients
there remained from the previous year 53, which, with 555 admissions, made a