NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
90
The general health of the prisoners has been good throughout the
year.
The strength was 234, the Civil Surgeon states that this number
is in excess, 86, over the cubic space allowed.
The chief diseases were ague and diseases of the stomach and in-
testines.
I went over the whole jail and attentively examined it. It was
in excellent order and evidenced considerable attention being paid to
the sanitary requirements.
The prisoners looked healthy. The hospital was clean.
Karwar.
The health of this jail was satisfactory during the year, and the
sickness of slight character, calling "for no special remarks."
There remained from previous returns 9, there were 136 fresh ad-
missions, making a total of 145; of these 138 were discharged, 3 died,
4 remained under treatment. The strength of the jail was 110.4
and the ratio of treated to strength 131.8.
I would have described this jail, but as a new jail is about being
built, it is needless doing so. It is necessary to say that the health
of the prisoners was well attended to in the sanitation of the jail.
Sawantwari.
Into the jail hospital, which is a small, hot room, there were admit-
ted in the year under report 34 sick prisoners, I remained from pre-
vious returns, making a total treated of 35; the whole of these were
discharged cured.
The chief disease was ague. The percentage of treated to
strength of all diseases was 84.5. I found on my inspection the jail
clean.
LUNATIC ASYLUM, BOMBAY.
During the year under report two new wings have been sanction-
ed for the lunatic asylum, for the accommodation of male and
female lunatics. This sanction does not appear to have been accord-
ed too soon, as there is an increased demand for accommodation of
persons of insane mind. These wings were commenced in March,
but will not be terminated until June; they are to afford accom-
modation for 50 males and 50 females. The Superintendent, in his
annual report, goes into some detail on the various points in con-
nection with this most useful addition to the premises, and accom-
panies it with a plan.
It is to be hoped that the increased space at disposal will enable
the Superintendent to inaugurate a system of classification, or, at
any rate, to take steps towards its future accomplishment. This is
91
a great necessity in this asylum, and one which will be of service not
only in the treatment of the insane, but in decreasing the cost of
maintenance.
I think it very advisable to bring to prominent notice a few
portions of the report. First "regarding the" previous particulars of
the history of insanes." The Superintendent endorses a statement
made by Dr. Niven, to the effect that " no particulars regarding the
history of persons sent to the asylum under Section IV. are ever
furnished by the Magistrates or Commissioners of Police, and the
medical certificates, according to Form A, give very scanty informa-
tion regarding the alleged lunatics.
" The consequence is, it is almost impossible to ascertain the cor-
rect age of the lunatics, or the length of time they have been insane,
or to assign the probable cause for the mental disease."
Dr. Shepherd considers "good might result from medical officers
giving the fullest information and every particular that can be obtain-
ed of the case."
The Superintendent's remarks on the supply of Vehar water are
suggestive as to the position of the asylum, with reference to the
Bombay Municipality, and in recommending means of reducing the
expenditure by Government, are worthy of much consideration.
I quite agree with the necessity that exists for a sanction being
given for a small fire engine to be kept in the premises, and have
desired the Superintendent to ascertain the cost. I have also, with
reference to the cost of a stove for cooking purposes, its arrangement
and probable saving, requested the Superintendent to inform me
previous to taking any further steps.
At my visits to the asylum and at my annual inspection, I have
found, in all matters, the greatest order prevailing.
The attendants always amongst the patients and, as far as I could
observe, kindness and patient attendance given. There have been
no complaints during the year ; the management reflects much credit
on the Superintendent.
The Apothecary of the Asylum, Mr. Rodrigues, has performed his
duties satisfactorily; the Matron and Overseers have also been favour-
ably remarked on by Dr. Shepherd, and of the remaining 2nd class
servants none have been reported against to me. One, in the matter
of an escape, was, without my sanction, summarily dismissed by the
Superintendent.
One full escape took place and one partial one, both of which are
referred to.
At the commencement of the year there remained under treatment
225 patients (184 males, 41 females). There were fresh admissions
65 (55 males, 10 females), making a total of 290 treated during the
year; of these 11 natives died (8 males, 3 females), 24 were discharg-
ed cured (19 males and 5 females) ; 5 were removed (1 male and 1
female improved, 3 males no better) ; 33 Europeans were sent to
92
England. The average of deaths to treated including Europeans
was 3.79 but as no deaths occurred amongst the latter, the percent
age on Natives treated will be 4.36.
Apart from the mental disease from which all suffer, 164 cases of
bodily ailments were brought under treatment. According to table
12, Appendix B of report, there remained under treatment 20
c a s e s : t h e r e w e r e a d m i t t e d 1 3 8 , m a k i n g a t o t a l t r e a t e d o f 1 5 8 , o f
these 127 were discharged cured, 11 died (as above), and 20 remain-
ed. The chief diseases were febricula, epilepsy, bronchitis, dy
sentery, diarrhœa, debility.
Few injuries occurred.
The deaths were from the following causes :—
General dropsy
...
1
Paralysis
...
...
1
Bronchitis ...
...
2
Diarrhœa
...
...
1
Debility
. . .
...
4
Fracture femur
. . .
1 Old age from fall.
Progressive muscular ?
Atrophy ...
. . .
1
11
23 criminal lunatics are lodged in the lunatic asylum, 17 of whom
committed murder, 3 theft and house-breaking, 2 caused grievous
hurt, 1 for mischief. The mental malady under which incitement to
murder was induced was chiefly mania,—12 were Hindus, 5 were
Mussulmen : one of the latter was religious melancholia.
The general health of the patients is good—188 being reported in
good bodily health and condition..
A Committee of Officers, composed of the Inspector General,
Indian Medical Department, the Collector of Bombay, the Acting
Chief Engineer, the Superintendent of the Asylum, and the Superin-
tending Engineer have been, under orders of Government, visit-
ing various sites for a new asylum : at the end of the year under
report the Committee had not terminated its proceedings.
There is no hospital to this asylum, a defect which has not been
sufficiently considered.
A shed, well situated, is used for this purpose at the N. W. ex-
tremity of the asylum ; attention should, I consider, be early given
to this matter and, if this place is considered best suited for the
purpose, it should be better arranged and adapted for the treatment
of the sick.
The dietary of this asylum is daily inspected by the Superintend
ent, and has been found good in quality, of the various articles
composing it, and sufficient in quantity on such occasions as I have
examined it.
93
DISPENSARIES.
The Dispensaries of the Presidency Division over which Govern-
ment has more or less control and authority, amount to thirty-four,
and occupy positions where the requirements for such institutions
have, with the increasing desire for an improved system of medical
relief, from time to time called for their establishment. Wherever
these institutions have been established, it appears, from the annual
returns, that much good has been done in the relief of sickness, and
under a more frequent and improved superintendence there seems
room for supposing that the benefits they are now able to afford may
be considerably increased.
During the past official year only one dispensary has been added
to the list, namely in "Pen," a town in the Collectorate of Alibag.
Having shown the general results attending the work of the dis-
pensaries, it may not be without some utility to point out their clas-
sifications, and endeavour to give a short history, as correctly as
possible, of each.
The dispensaries are divided into three classes : 1 st.—Those the
expenditure of which is entirely defrayed by private endowment, over
which, however, the ægis of Government supervision has been
conferred.
2nd.—Those which have been established, partly aided by Govern-
ment ; this class may be sub-divided into: a.—Those partly provided
for by private endowment, and partly by Government under the Rules
of 1857 and 1861, Government paying for the expenses under the
heads of salaries, and sometimes a contingent allowance of Rs. 17
per month; the remaining expenses being defrayed out of the interest
of the funded capital ; and b.—Those partly provided by Govern-
ment by grants-in-aid, according to a population test, as laid down
in Government Resolution No. 1448 of 1867, General Department,
and partly by Municipal and Local Funds. The Government contri-
bution has to be paid to the administrators, and the expenditure, for
all dispensary purposes, is to be defrayed by the persons entrusted
with the administration of the endowments, according to Notification
dated 4th February 1871, and Resolution of Government No. 597, of
6th February 1872.
3rd.—Dispensaries entirely supported by Government : these are
either attached to civil hospitals, or are simply dispensaries for out-
door patients, with a few beds for in-patients.
Beyond expenses for medicines, those attached to civil hospitals
are not costly to Government, as the same establishment and the
petty supplies required for the civil hospital answer for the dispen-
sary. The dispensaries of this class which are not attached to regu-
larly constituted hospitals, have the means of admitting a few in-
patients from the country, or from the Police Detachments quartered
in the district; these dispensaries are generally placed either in dis-
tricts where fever is prevalent in the surrounding country, or where
12 M D
94
medical aid is distant and difficult of access. Indeed, even with the
civil hospitals and the dispensaries, in the Southern Koncan medi-
cal aid is far from reach, and there is need for the establishment of
more dispensaries to complete a circle of medical institutions. Along
the base of the Western Ghauts and its spurs, as may be seen in the
accompanying sketch, there is not a single dispensary. The towns
of Chiplun, Khed, Rajapur, &c., may be pointed out as fitting places
for their establishment.
Along the coast from Alibag to Dapuli, which latter place is nine
miles inland, there is at present no dispensary ; from Dapuli to
Ratnagiri none ; (at Goa there are medical practitioners), at Ven-
gurla there is an apothecary, at Karwar a Surgeon and a charitable
dispensary, at Coompta a Sub-Assistant Surgeon, and at Honore a
Hospital Assistant. The dispensaries of the 1st and 2nd class should
also, according to the regulations, be able to admit a few in-patients,
but some of them are unable to do so, as, destitute of means to build
proper dispensaries, the authorities have only been able to rent houses
which, in some instances, are too small for this purpose, or even for
the correct performance of dispensary duties.
First Class Dispensaries.
The only dispensary of the 1st class which is established in
the Presidency Division, is that situated at Kalliawaree, a small
town of 1,500 inhabitants, in the Surat Collectorate. At the death
of Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, the first Baronet, a sum of Rs. 75,000
was proposed to be set apart by his widow for the endow-
ment of a dispensary at the large and populous town of Nausari,
in the territory of the Gaikwar of Baroda, the birth-place of her
late husband; out of this sum 10,000 rupees was to provide for the
building, and the interest of 65,000 rupees for the maintenance of
the Dispensary, to be named the " Victoria," in honour of Her Majesty
the Queen. The Government sanctioned the proposition and granted
ground for the purpose at Kalliawaree, within tolerably easy dis-
tance of Nausari, Kalliawaree being in British territory. The
situation of the dispensary being on rising ground, with a road-
less valley between it and the town of Nausari, rendered access
to it difficult, and necessitated the construction of a road 1½ miles
long, which was paid for by the Dowager Lady Jamsetjee Jejee
bhoy and the Government, the former giving the additional sum
of Rs. 18,376, the latter Rs. 3,766 for the purpose. The dispensary
was opened in September 1863, and has proved of great benefit to
the surrounding country.
This dispensary has a fair character in the district, in which
many villages are situated, and from all of which the sick apply for
out-door relief ; the building, besides possessing the requisite means
for providing for dispensary work, also has room for a few in-door
male and female patients. The accommodation for the residence of
the Sub-Assistant Surgeon is so very insufficient that he has for some
years resided, under sanction of the Deputy Inspector General, I
M A P
S H E W I N G T H E E X T E N T
of the
Circle of Supervision of the
DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL OF HOSPITALS
PRESIDENCY DIVISION & BOMBAY MARINE
SCALES
British Statute Miles 69½ to n Degree
Geographical Miles 60 to n Degree
Cosses of Hindoostan 42 to n Degree
Dispensaries are marked in red
95
presume, in Nausari, where, I believe, he has practice amongst the
prosperous traders of the place.
At my annual inspection I was not favourably impressed with the
Sub-Assistant Surgeon's attention; there can be no doubt that he
ought to live at the Dispensary.
Two Native Medical Pupils reside in it. Though Nowsaree is, in
my opinion, too distant for the Medical Officer's residence, there is
no doubt his presence there is beneficial, but what is required is that
ample time should be given to the dispensary work, which is now
hurried over to a certain extent. The Sub-Assistant Surgeon informed
me that he spent much of his time at the dispensary, but I am in-
clined to think, his books and papers being kept in Nausari, that
the greater part is spent away from it. I did not press the necessity
of the Sub-Assistant Surgeon living at the dispensary under the
circumstances, but I instructed him to do all his work and bring his
books there, and employ his time more in looking after his dispen-
sary, and attracting patients by his industry, than in seeking practice
in Nausari. Future inspection will prove whether these instruc-
tions have been attended to.
In the official year 1871-72 there were 6,293 patients treated, 6,185
of whom were new admissions, and 108 remained from the previous
year; 5,941 were discharged, cured or relieved, 239 absented, and
113 remained. The average daily number of attendence was 67, no
deaths are recorded. Included in the above are 39 in-patients, of
whom 35 were fresh admissions; the average daily number of in-
patients was 3.5. There were 37 discharged and 2 remaining.
The chief diseases, numerically, were intestinal parasites, the
ascaris lumbricoides, and ague; of the former 671 cases and of the
latter 643 cases were treated: there were also 214 of simple con-
tinued fever, 93 remittent fever, and 3 of typhoid. The proportion
of ague cases to treated was 10.20, of fever generally 15.10. Vac-
cination was carried on, as reported by the Sub-Assistant Surgeon,
under much difficulty, the population of Kalliawaree being small
and in Nausari the Gaikwar's vaccinators being at work. 123
successful operations are recorded to have been performed.
During the year the maximum temperature observed was 97º in
the month of June, the minimum 58º in the month of December,
the highest maximum mean was 92º in June, the lowest minimum
mean 60º in December. Rain fell in July, August, and September to
the extent of 13 inches 11 cents, and in December 22 cents were
guaged.
Owing to the promotion of the present Sub-Assistant Surgeon to
the 2nd class, the interest of the endowment has fallen short of the
expenditure, and there is a debt accumulated against it; unless the
Sir Jamsetjee family advance further means, it appears advisable
that the removal of the present officer should be effected. I am in-
clined to think that changes in these appointments would result
favourably in other respects.
96
Six cases to illustrate the practice of Sub-Assistant Surgeon Jam-
setjee Byramjee, G.G.M.C., are forwarded with the annual return.
Mr. Jamsetjee Byramjee's annual report falls short of what I should
have expected from an officer of his experience and apparent
intelligence.
339 operations, chiefly minor, were performed during the year, but
are not mentioned in his report, which is confined to numerical state-
ments and barren remarks on routine treatment.
2nd Class Dispensaries.
Coorla.
Kallian.
Karwar.
Uran.
Balsar.
Bhewndy.
Bandora.
Randir.
Paruk.
Tanna.
Coorla.
A village situated on the high road leading from Bombay to
Tanna and Vehar; the estate of Coorla belongs to Mr. Bomanjee
Hormusjee Wadia, who in 1855 made application to Government for
the establishment and endowment of a dispensary on his property
for the benefit of the surrounding villages in Salsette, the inhabitants
of which at times suffered much from the ravages of small-pox and
fever. For this purpose Mr. Bomanjee Hormusjee Wadia agreed
to pay Rs. 12,000 to Government for investment, so that the interest
should go towards the maintenance of the charity. Mr. Bomanjee
Hormusjee Wadia provided a house, and the dispensary was opened
in 1855. In 1860 a suitable building was erected at the expense of
Mrs. Meetabhaie Hormusjee, this, situated at the junction of the old
and new Tanna roads, is a well-constructed building, but not afford-
ing sufficient accommodation for the Sub-Assistant Surgeon. The
pay of the Sub-Assistant Surgeon is defrayed by Government, also that
of the Native Medical pupils, and a contingency of Rs. 17 per
month; the rest of the payments are made from the funds of the
endowment.
The dispensary lies to the west of the Coorla station of the G. I.
P. Railway, distant about 2 miles. At my annual inspection I found
the dispensary contained 4 central rooms, with verandah rooms at
each end, north and south, and open verandahs, east and west; these
open verandahs are large and well suited for waiting patients, of whom
very few indeed were present during the five hours I spent at the
dispensary; of the rooms one appeared to be used as a receiving
room, one as a place for keeping medicine and preparing prescrip-
tions, one room was apparently for in-patients, of which class very
few or none enter, the fourth room was occupied by the Sub-Assistant
Surgeon; of the two verandah rooms, one was the sleeping room of
the Sub-Assistant Surgeon, the other was crammed with lumber and
private stores in the greatest disorder; adjoining these verandah
rooms are bath rooms and offices, one set apart for the Sub-Assistant
97
Surgeon, the other for in-patients ; the latter was filled with pigeons,
fowls, and lumber—dirty in the extreme.
The out-houses, like these parts of the dispensary, were in a filthy
state ; the compound undefined.
Six dead bodies had been examined during the year ; there is no
dead-house, and the post-mortems are made in the Durrumsala ;
that there should be a dead-house there can be no doubt, and this I
beg to bring prominently to the notice of the Inspector General, and
trust that provision for one may be recommended.
Around Coorla the villages which should partake of the benefit
offered by the dispensary, are Chimbool, Manee, and Trombay to
the south, 3 or 4 miles distant Murole, Kulnee, Sair, Condita,
Bummunwadee to the north and north-west. At the village of
Mulhar, a Khoja named Hubibhoy Peerbhoy has a private dispen-
sary at which a compounder presides. At Bhandoop a Mr. C. C. Bhan-
doopwala provides medicines for his work-people and neighbouring
poor. A compounder pays a weekly visit to prescribe. At Khoper-
ghat, a village south-east of Coorla, about 2 miles distant, where
fever prevails to a very great extent during certain months, the late
Mr. Rustomjee Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy issued quinine, at the rate of
one ounce daily, to the people, a carcoon dispensing it during the
fever season. In Coorla itself, supplied with Vehar water, there is
not much fever, but it prevails in the surrounding villages during the
months of October, November, December, and January.
The number of all cases treated was 6,690 ; of which 6,639 were
fresh admissions and 61 remained from the previous year, being an
increase of 1,214 ; of these, 6,062 were cured or relieved, none died,
580 absented, 48 remained: 2,963 of these cases were from intermittent
fever, remittent fever 26, nearly 45 per cent. of the whole. There
were no in-door patients treated in this dispensary, though there is
fair accommodation for a few.
The Sub-Assistant Surgeon, I cannot help thinking, and regret to
Cooverjee Dorabjee,
G.G.M.C.
state, is ill fitted for continuance of employ-
ment here ; he informed me he had heart
disease, he is extremely obese and cannot
undergo any hard work. At the examination he underwent at the
Grant Medical College last year he failed to pass, but he is allowed
to have another trial. The records appear to have been kept by the
Native Medical pupils, and not to have received much of his supervi-
sion.
The annual report is far from satisfactory, and I think that, were a
more active man, and one more desirous of doing good established
here, the benefit of the dispensary would be more distinctly and widely
appreciated; I advocate therefore a change of appointments. Ninety-
nine minor operations were performed during the year.
Uran.
The chief town of the island of Karinja, situated on the south side
of the Bombay harbour, to the south-east, and to which place re-