9
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
These figures indicate a decline in prevalence of this disorder when compared
with those of 1891.
16. Malarial Fevers.—This is by far the most frequent ailment among the
general population. Of the total number of out-patients treated at the Calcutta
Medical Institutions, no fewer than 16 per cent. sought relief for some form of
malarious fever. As these disorders are not completely incapacitating, and are
readily treated by quinine, the majority of the sufferers are out-patients. There
were 41,202 patients treated for malarious fever, of whom only 3,799 were
house-patients. These figures confirm the health statistics of the town and
show that the year was a healthier one than the last.
17. Venereal affections. —The total number of in and out-patients treated for
these diseases in all the institutions situated in Calcutta, including the Voluntary
Lock-Hospitals, shows an increase of 1,186 patients, the figures being 13,072,
against 11,886 in 1891. At the institutions under the charge of Dr. Mackenzie,
viz., Campbell, Police, and Voluntary Lock-Hospitals, there was a total increase
of 1,246 cases, and at the Presidency General Hospital 234, while at the Mayo
Institutions, taken together, there was a total diminution of 178. At the Medical
College Hospital and the Bhawanipur Dispensary there was also a reduction of
62 and 54 patients, respectively. At the Campbell Hospital itself there was an
increase of 921 cases, and the Superintendent explains it to be due to a " more
careful note having been kept of all cases of syphilis treated than during the
previous year." At the Voluntary Lock-Hospitals there was an increase of 296,
but the Superintendent has not offered any explanation as to the cause of it.
The total number treated during the past five years, in all the institutions in
Calcutta, including the Voluntary Lock-Hospitals and the Bhawanipur Dispen-
sary, was as follows :—
1888
...
... 12,920
1889
. . .
... 12,793
1890
. . .
...
12,326
1891
...
... 11,886
1892
. . .
... 13,072
Of the foregoing the following figures give the respective prevalence of
primary and secondary syphilitic affections, and if the figures are to be trusted
they indicate that syphilitic disease is not on the increase in this city to an
alarming extent. At the same time the statistics of the Presidency General
Hospital are significant of the greater prevalence of syphilis in the quarters
frequented by the European sailor :—
Primary syphilis.
Secondary syphilis.
1888
...
. . .
4,684
4,422
1889
. . .
. . .
4,752
4,502
1890
. . .
. . .
4,000
3,247
1891
. . .
...
3,903
3,241
1892
. . .
. . .
4,109
3,348
18. Tubercular affections.—There were 134 cases admitted, against 178 in
1891. Of the 134 cases, 31 were seen in the Campbell, 16 in the Medical College,
52 in the Presidency General, 15 in the Mayo, 10 in the Police, and 10 in the
Howrah General Hospitals. The mortality from this cause is very heavy, and
at the Campbell Hospital all the 31 patients who were admitted died. This
high mortality is explained by the fact that the very poorest sufferers are
compelled to enter the hospital in the last and hopeless stage of the disease.
In the other institutions patients are generally admitted on the first appearance
of the affection, when treatment is effective, with the result that out of 103 cases
admitted into all the other institutions, only 28, or 27 per cent., died. The
out-door patients treated for tubercular affections were 112, against 142 in
1891.
19. Respiratory affections.—O wing to the continued presence of influenza
during the last two years there has been an unusual number of persons treated
B