CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
23
63. Police Hospital.—The total cost to Government for this hospital was less
by Rs. 339-10-2. The cost of establishment shows an increase of Rs. 40-8-9,
which was due to the two Hospital Assistants attached to the institution having
drawn house-rent throughout the year. There were savings under the heads
of bazar and Europe medicines, diet, and buildings and repairs. The average
cost of each diet was Re. 0-2-6, which was below the sanctioned limit. The
Superintendent states that the cost compared with 1891 was more by 2 pies,
due to. higher rates for the principal articles of diet. Miscellaneous charges
increased by Rs. 532-1-4, due to the payment of a larger amount as municipal
rates and taxes. Deducting the building charges, the total expenditure was
Rs. 16,526-6-7, against Rs. 16,160-0-9 in 1891.
64. Mayo Institutions.— These institutions receive from Government
Rs. 34,000 annually. The percentage of Government cost was 62.37, against 60.95
in 1891. The total income from local sources was more by Rs. 589, owing chiefly to
increased amount of interest on investments. Messrs. Mackinnon and Mackenzie
gave a donation of Rs. 500 for the treatment of patients who were burnt in
the S.S. Lindula. The cost of establishment remained almost the same as in
1891. The Superintendent is unable to state how much of it was met from
Government grant and how much from the funds of the institutions. The
amount expended on bazar and Europe medicines and diet shows an increase.
The Superintendent explains that these charges fluctuate from year to year.
The average cost of each diet was Re. 0-3-81/5 in 1892, which shows an
i n c r e a s e o f 2 1 / 5 p i e s o v e r t h e s t a n d a r d r a t e . T h e h i g h e r p r i c e o f p r o v i s i o n s
in some measure accounts for this excess. With regard to the greater cost
of diet at these institutions as compared with that of the Campbell Hospital,
v i z . , 0 - 2 - 6 1 / 2 , t h e S u p e r i n t e n d e n t r e p o r t s t h a t i t w o u l d h a v e b e e n i m p o s s i b l e
to feed patients properly at the former at a cost of 0-2-61/2. He adds that
there is a great difference between the class of patients treated in the
Mayo and Campbell Hospitals. The amount spent on miscellaneous items
shows an increase of Rs. 435-2-11, due to the treatment of the patients who
were burnt in the S.S. Lindula, to the enhancement of the house-rent
paid for the Park Street Dispensary, and to the execution of drainage works
at the Chandney Hospital. There was a saving under the head of buildings
and repairs. The Rs. 10,000 given in 1891 as gift by Maharajah Bahadur
Sir Jotindro Mohun Tagore and kept in fixed deposit account was permanent-
ly invested in 4 per cent. Government securities in 1892. Rupees 10,714-6-9
were paid to purchase those securities. The total expenditure, exclusive of the
amount invested, was Rs. 54,508-6-11, against Rs. 55,782-10-2 in 1891. Deduct-
ing again the building charges, the total expenditure stands at Rs. 54,396-5-11,
against Rs. 53,649-8-2. There was a cash balance of Rs. 772-13-3 at the close
of the year.
65. There may be special reasons for so very liberal a contribution by
Government to the Mayo Institutions, but in the absence of such the support
given to its medical charities by the wealthy community of Calcutta is so
insignificant as to call for special notice. It will be seen from statement V,
part I at page 35 of this report that Europeans contributed in ordinary sub-
scriptions and donations in 1892 Rs. 2,080 and natives Rs. 1,371-8, and that
the special donation of Rs. 10,000 given by a wealthy citizen was added to the
invested capital which stood at Rs. 3,64,900 at the close of 1892. During the
last six years the invested funds of these institutions have been increased by
no less a sum than Rs. 17,500, which must be regarded in the light of yearly
savings out of the Government contributions. The striking liberality of
Government towards these Calcutta charities is the more apparent when their
financial condition is compared with that of the Howrah General Hospital,
which received but 17 per cent. only of its total expenditure from Provincial
revenues, while 62 per cent. was given to the Mayo Hospital and its branches.
A still greater contrast to the Calcutta Corporation is observed in the responsi-
bilities which the minor municipalities of the Province are compelled to under-
take in the maintenance of their several dispensaries independently of State aid.
66. Bhawanipur Dispensary.—This dispensary is maintained by the
Calcutta Municipality. The total expenditure was Rs. 2,764-14-6, against
Rs. 2,509-2-10 in 1891, showing an increase of Rs. 255-11-8, which was chiefly
due to the purchase of new surgical and electric instruments.