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charge of it during the past year. The present one, Dr. Murphy,
is a diligent, well informed surgeon, and takes an interest in his
work. The hospital is almost entirely given up to the reception of
natives and the Police. The Europeans treated at Kotri are, with
a few trifling exceptions, all classed as out-patients. Its situation in
days gone by was considered good, but now, owing to the number
of large trees which have .grown up around it, all breeze nearly is
excluded ; but this is not a matter of much moment, seeing that
Europeans are rarely or never accommodated inside. There is a
difficulty, however, of disposing of the refuse water, which under any
circumstances requires to be remedied. The hospital being on the
upper storey, this water can only be thrown over the verandah at the
back to the ground below, and as the quantity thus disposed of is
necessarily considerable, the soil underneath is always more or less
damp, and is not therefore in a good sanitary condition. Close by
there is an old drain, which merely requires a small expense to render
it serviceable, and if this were connected by an iron pipe to the
hospital above, the present nuisance would be completely removed.
At Shikarpur the civil hospital, except for the use of the Police,
might almost be done away with. It is at a considerable distance
from the town, where there is an excellent dispensary, and few at
least of the in-door patients would perhaps come to this hospital,
were it not that they are for the most part in a wretched and indi
-gent condition, and go there more for food, clothes, and shelter than
for medical treatment. The building itself is commodious, but the
two principal wards are quite unprovided with ventilation. A few
small apertures pierce the roof, but these are useless. Were a suc
-cession of loop holes, two feet apart, cut through the upper third of
the walls, ventilation would be thoroughly established.
22. The last civil hospital to be noticed is the one at Sakkhar.
It occupies a portion of the old artillery barracks. The accommoda
-tion is unlimited, ventilation and other arrangements satisfactory.
It is under the charge of Honorary Assistant Surgeon .Leahy, who,
under the adverse circumstances of indifferent health, a bad climate,
and multifarious duties, has conducted the duties of this hospital in
a creditable manner.
23. At Manora the dispensary is quite unsuited to the require
-ments of the place. It consists merely of a small surgery in one of
the out-houses belonging to the quarters of the Assistant Apothecary.
The want of a ward sufficient to accommodate, say, four patients, is
much felt. The Apothecary has had, during the past year, several
accidents and serious cases to treat, and has been compelled to
attend the patients in their own huts. This arrangement is most un
-satisfactory, and it is very desirable that a suitable building should
be erected, having under the same roof a small surgery, and a room
of convenient size to admit of four patients being received for treat-
ment. A dispensary servant is likewise required to perform the
various menial duties, which, owing to his absence, are at present
thrown upon the Apothecary's private servant.