(4)
of opinion that the events of the past year have finally set at rest the contro-
versy as to the fitness of the Medical College Hospital for the treatment of
surgical disease. The surgeons of both wards continued to use the systems
employed by them in the previous year. Dr. MacLeod, in the first ward,
carried out the Listerian method in its entirety ; while Dr. Raye confined this
method to severe cases, using less elaborate dressings in his less important cases
7. In the two wards together, there were, apart from ophthalmic cases,
279 important surgical operations, which were followed by death in 29 instances.
In 1881 there had been 252 operations with 54 deaths. There was thus a
very marked improvement in the degree of mortality after operative surgery in
all cases taken together, and this is stated to have been accompanied by
increased strictness in the application of antiseptic dressings. On the other hand,
it does not appear that there was any improvement on the results of the
previous year in cases of exceptional severity which were employed as " tests."
In 1882 there were 16 operations for excision of bones and joints, with 3
deaths. In 1881 there had been 11 such operations with one death. In 1882
there were 24 major amputations with 8 deaths. In 1881 there had been 17
with 6 deaths The Surgeon . General points out that in both years Listerism
was most strictly used in this class of cases, and that the fluctuations are
probably due to other causes. At the same time a greater degree of
strictness in the application of antiseptic treatment (as distinguished from
strict Listerism) in ordinary cases has been followed by a large reduction of
mortality. A comparison of the relative results obtained during 1881 and
1882, respectively, in the General, Mayo, Campbell, and Howrah Hospitals,
where no change of system was introduced, shews some improvement in the
first and last named, and some slight retrogression in the other two. The
Surgeon-General sums up the discussion with the following remarks, in which
the Lieutenant-Governor generally concurs :—" It must be admitted, I think,
that the year was, from some unknown cause, favourable to surgical work;
but it cannot be said that the other hospitals have given evidence which
refutes the opinion of the College Surgeons on the greatly reduced mortality
after operation in their wards. If, on the other hand, this opinion be adopted,
it will not explain increased fatality in test cases in nor the fact that, in
these cases, results as good, if not better, are obtained elsewhere with less
elaborate and costly appliances. The antiseptic method isapparently the
best that has yet been invented, but the measure of its superiority has yet to
be taken, and the advantage of strict Listerism seems doubtful in hospital
practice ; while, as a system to be taught exclusively to pupils, it is not
desirable."
8. The following table shews the number of cases of enteric and remittent
fever treated at each of the hospitals during the year :—
Enteric fever.
Remittent fever.
Medical College Hospital
...
1 8 7 3 .
1 8 7 4 . 1 8 7 5 . 1876.
1 8 7 7 .
1 8 7 8 .
1 8 7 9
1 8 8 0 . 1 8 1 .
1 8 8 2 .
1 8 7 3 .
1 8 7 4 .
1 8 7 5 .
1 8 7 6 . 1 8 7 7 .
1 8 7 7 . 1 8 7 8 . .
1 9 7 9 .
1 9 8 0 .
1 9 8 1 .
1 9 8 2 .
9 5 6 6 1
.
. . 2 . . ...
-
86 58 125 95 124 152 164
1 8 0 196 150
Presidency General Hospital ...
6 11 12 17 18 9 11 6 11 12
22 10 48 27 i
39
33 31
49
32
40
Howrah Hospital ... ...
... ... ... ... 4 2 4 2 3 3
8 8 146j 172 210 359 393 228 107
77
73
Mayo Hospital ...
...
... 2 1 5 6 .., ... .., ... 1 ...
13 22 35 361 174 224 130 205 221 113
Campbell Hospital ... ...
28 2
. . .
. . .
. . . ...
. . . ... ... ... 212, 495 460 438 432 460 333 354 309 301
Police Hospital . .,.
...
8 11 ... 14
.
11 2 1
. . . ... ...
. .
. . . 1
11 29
23
5 8 41
Total
53 30 23 43 31 13 18
8 15 15 421 731
8 4 1 506 1,12S 1,234 918 926 893 748
The 15 cases of typhoid all occurred among Europeans, and were confined to
the General and Howrati Hospitals. The decrease of remittent fever was
shared by all the institutions except the Presidency Gen( ral Hospital.
9. In the Ophthalmic Hospital 501 in-door and 7,792 out-door patients
were treated, against 608 and 6,606, respectively, in the previous year. The
number of operations performed was 275 against 352. In 200 cases the patient
was discharged cured, and in 28 relieved. Thirty-three cases remained under
treatment at the end of the year.
10. The Eden Hospital for women was opened in July 1882, and the
public took full advantage of the excellent accommodation it affords. The
daily average of house-patients, which, during the first half of the year, when