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3. Of the total number of persons treated during the year, 154,492 were
adult males, 37,707 adult females, and 59,784 children, against 153,705, 34,678,
and 56,753 respectively in 1891. The statistics according to race show that there
was an increase of all classes of patients except Hindus. The increase of
European patients is said to be due chiefly to the increased population of the port,
brought about by the stagnation of trade and the large number of vessels
detained in the river, and to the popularity of the out-door department of the
Eden Hospital. The number of Hindu patients decreased in all the hospitals
except Howrah, the total falling off being 3,155; but the year 1891 showed
an advance of 7,297 upon the figures of 1890, and the fluctuation in 1892 is
probably fortuitous.
4. The rate of mortality among the inmates of the medical institutions
was practically the same as in several past years, viz., 12.7 per cent. The
death-rate as usual was highest in the Campbell and Howrah Hospitals, where
pauper and moribund cases are sent for treatment. The death-rate among
children was lower than that among adults which is 60 per cent. higher than
the average rate of English Hospitals.
5. There was a slight increase in the small-pox cases treated in the
hospitals, the numbers being 35 against 21 in the previous year. All of these
cases were admitted in the Campbell Hospital and 10 of them proved fatal. This
the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals thinks is indicative of the absence of
protection by vaccination in at least half the number of cases. In order to
afford grounds for further conclusions, the Lieutenant-Governor desires that the
number of patients who can be seen by their marks to have been vaccinated,
or inoculated, or to have had small-pox, and the proportion of deaths among
them, should be stated in future reports. Results so remarkable have been
obtained from observation of an outbreak of small-pox in the Dacca Jail during
1892, that His Honour desires that particular attention should be given to
recording the past medical history of small-pox patients, and the previous efforts,
if any, made to protect them. Seven hundred and nine persons were admitted to
hospital during 1892 suffering from cholera, which in 425 cases proved fatal,
giving a ratio of nearly 60 per cent. The mortality among European patients
treated for this disease was higher in the General Hospital than in that attached
to the Medical College. The Lieutenant-Governor is glad to find that there
were no cases of cholera among the patients in the Presidency General and
the Campbell Hospitals, but the Medical College and the Howrah General
Hospitals did not enjoy this immunity, 6 and 4 cases respectively having
occurred in those institutions. These cases are said to have been due chiefly
to contaminated food obtained by the patients from outside the Hospital.
There was a considerable decrease in the admissions for dysentery and diarr-
hoea, but the mortality shows a higher percentage. Malarial fever also was
responsible for fewer admissions than in the previous year, though it is by far
the most common disease in the Lower Provinces. The number of cases of
venereal disease rose from 11,886 to 13,072. The Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals remarks that the "statistics of the Presidency General Hospital are
significant of the greater prevalence of syphilis in the quarters frequented
by European sailors." The figures produced in the report, however, show that
the increase is slight, and there is a decrease in cases of secondary syphilis
compared with the average of the last five years. The admissions for leprosy
fell from 134 to 94, of whom all but six were received in the Campbell Hospital.
Dr. Pilcher objects to the treatment of lepers in the same ward with other
patients, chiefly, it is understood, on account of the loathsomeness of the disease,
for the danger of contagion according to the conclusions of the Leprosy Com-
mission is very small, and he suggests that, when the new Leper Asylum is opened,
they should not be admitted to the hospitals. If, however, the hospitals were
closed to them, and they were all forced into the Leper Asylum, the accom-
modation which it is proposed to provide in that institution would be quite in-
sufficient. The total number of cases of enteric and remittent fever treated in all
the hospitals during the year was 12 and 1,215 respectively against 26 and 1,188,
the corresponding figures of the previous year. Of the 12 cases of enteric fever,
6 are shown as having occurred in the Medical College Hospital, 5 in the
Presidency General Hospital, and 1 in the Howrah General Hospital. Thes