98
PROVINCIAL HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES.
[Part III.
An improvement in the attendance of children has now been maintained for
three successive years. As regards castes, there are no important differences
to note.
Finances.
Whilst the income of the dispensaries has increased, the proportion sup-
plied by Government has diminished (38.61 to 34.31), and it will be seen that
the proportion of support furnished by native subscription shows a satisfactory
increase.
STATEMENT No. XXV.
Showing the income of Dispensaries as contrasted with the five preceding years, (excluding float-
ing balance and cost of medicines).
Years.
1868 ... ...
1869 ... ...
1870 ... ...
1871 ... ...
1872
...
...
1873
...
...
Total
Income.
2,67,467
2,82,689
2,94,788
3,08,773
2,91,601
3,10,886*
PERCENTAGE OF INCOME TO THE TOTAL INCOME RECEIVED FROM
Government.
43.24
46.84
41.45
43.71
38.61
34.31
Local funds.
22.06
18.66
21.17
(1)16.15
(2) 17.40
(3) 19.69
Interest on in-
vested capital.
7.51
6.52
6.23
5.44
7.09
6.23
European
subscription.
9.44
8.81
9.99
13.70
7.47
7.93
Native
subscription.
17.72
19.15
21.15
20.94
29.43
31.84
* Exclusive of Rs. 44,752, the cost of medicines, books, and forms, &c., supplied by Government.
(1).
(2).
(3).
4.07 from
397
5.17
municipalities
ditto
ditto
and town committees,
ditto
ditto
and 12.08 from
and 13.43
and 14.52
all other local
ditto
ditto
sources.
ditto.
ditto.
STATEMENT No. XXVI.
Showing the expenditure of 1873 and the five preceding years.
HEADS OF EXPENDITURE.
Average cost of each diet ...
Total expenditure ... ...
Percentage of expendi-
ture to total expenditure on
account of—
Medical officers' salaries ...
Ditto subordinates' ditto...
Servants' wages ... ...
English medicines purchased ...
Native
ditto
ditto ...
Diet of patients ... ...
Wines and spirits ... ...
Repairs and construction of build¬
iags, and house-rent... ...
Miscellaneous—clothing, furniture,
&c. ... ... ...
Surplus income invested ...
1868.
Rs.
0
A.
1
P.
5
Rs.
2,57,653
2.81
44.22
16.28
1.46
3.84
11.38
1.30
6.07
8.12
4.48
1869.
Rs.
0
A.
1
P.
7
Rs.
2,74,957
2.60
43.33
16.01
1.39
3.99
12.02
1.35
8.71
8.07
2.48
1870.
Rs.
0
A.
1
P.
9
Rs.
2,92,402
2.01
37.72
21.26
1.55
3.55
11.00
1.23
11.70
7.02
3.35
1871.
Rs.
0
A.
1
Rs.
P.
11
2,97,378
3.58
38.08
22.18
2.12
3.59
11.29
1.11
7.80
8.39
1.85
1872.
Rs.
0
A.
1
P.
5
Rs.
2,99,738
3.47
36.56
19.13
1.63
338
8.67
33
13.81
9.10
3.92
1873.
Rs.
0
A.
1
P.
6
Rs.
3,18,024
1.75
38.66
19.90
3.22
3.47
9.17
35
8.84
8.72
5.92
43 per cent. of the dispensaries instead of 53 per cent. as was the case in 1872,
received more than half their income from Government, and 57 per cent. de-
pended more on local sources, and of these 11 supported themselves entirely.
The increased expenditure necessitated by the opening of the 28 new dispen-
saries was balanced by the increased amount of subscriptions and municipal
contributions. The balance in hand at the close of the year was Rs. 1,07,442,
or nearly the same as in 1872. Invested funds produced Rs. 19,371. The cost
of dieting each patient daily was anna 1-6 against anna 1-5.
Instruction in mid-
wifery.
The subject of imparting instruction in midwifery to native women is one
to which the Bengal Government has accorded every encouragement, and
which has been supported by the Surgeon-General, who, in his comments upon
the working of the dispensaries in Bengal, thus summarizes the matter as it at
present stands:—
I am afraid that the result of another year's trial of the experiment of instructing native
dhais in midwifery has not been more favourable than has been reported in every preceding
year. I am less sanguine of success than formerly, and am inclined to think it may be
doubted whether the experiment is worth pursuing any longer in the direction it has hitherto
taken. The class of women whom it has been attempted to teach—the native hereditary
dhais—composed of prejudiced, utterly ignorant, and apparently unteachable women, who seem