CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
25
68. The total expenditure was:—
RS.
A. P.
Cost of establishment, medicines, diet, repairs and maintenance ...
9,93,230 1 10
Invested during the year ...
...
... ...
. . . . . . . . .
Cash balance on 31st December
...
...
...
32,233 3 5
10,25,463 5 3
69. The income and expenditure in the year under report are compared
with the income and expenditure of the previous year in the following table :—
1898.
1899.
RS.
A. P.
RS.
A. P.
1. Net cost of all the hospitals to
Government
... ...
7,79,524 12 3
7,86,033 13 3
2. Receipts from local and municipal
funds, interest, subscriptions,
&c. ...
...
...
2,11,155 14 9
2,11,135 8 6
3. Cost of establishment, up-keep,
&c. ...
... ...
9,88,692 6 11
9,93,230 1 10
4. Invested during the year
...
3,500 0 0
. . . . . . . . .
It will be seen from the above that the total cost to Government was more
by 6,509-1-0, the increase being chiefly due to larger expenditure on the
new block at the Presidency General Hospital. The variations under other
headings will be considered in dealing with the finance of each individual
hospital.
70. The amount realised from paying patients was Rs. 55,858-11-8, against
Rs. 56,197-2-6 in 1898. The decrease chiefly occurred at the Campbell Hos-
pital, where fewer patients of this class were admitted. The income under the
head of local funds shows an increase of Rs. 6,164-7-7, which was mainly due
to larger receipts from the Port Dues Fund at the Presidency General Hospital.
Municipal contributions were less by Rs. 1,100, the figures having been
Rs. 45,000 against Rs. 46,100 in 1898. The return of the Dufferin Victoria
Hospital shows for the first time Rs. 2,000, paid by the Calcutta Municipality
towards its support. This amount was also paid in the previous year, but was
included by the Committee under the head of local funds. There was a decrease
of Rs. 2,500 at the Sambhu Nath Pandit Hospital in the year under review.
This was due to the change in the system of pay ments referred to in paragraph
70 of my report for last year. The Howrah General Hospital shows a decrease
of Rs. 600, as the Municipality did not pay its contribution for two months.
Interest received on invested capital amounted to Rs. 25,935-6-3 against
Rs. 27,135-5-9 in 1898. In the latter year the accumulated interest of Rs. 1,000
from the " Sailors' Fund " at the Medical College Hospital was withdrawn,
which swelled the receipts of that year. Subscriptions from Europeans show
an increase of Rs. 684-0-0 as compared with the previous year. This was
mainly due to larger collections at the Mayo Native Hospital. A donation of
Rs. 2,500 was paid to this Hospital by Babu Benode Lal Mullick during the
year under report. This explains the increase in Native subscriptions, which
amounted to Rs. 4,003-8-0 against Rs. 1,714-0-0 in 1898. Miscellaneous
receipts show a falling off of Rs. 2,019-15-6. The very small amount of Native
subscriptions, which, exclusive of the above donation, amounted in Calcutta
and Hawah to only Rs 1,503-8-0, is not worthy of the capital of India, and,
as I am of opinion that more money might be raised by systematic efforts,
I propose to make a separate representation to Government on the subject.
It does not seem right that Calcutta should be behind even small towns in
other parts of the country, nor do think that Government should be called
upon to pay nearly the whole of the funds which are required to maintain the
medical institutions of the capital of India. I propose also to draw attention
to the large taxation which is levied on the medical institutions by the
municipalities which is quite out of proportion to the sums contributed by them
towards their maintenance.
E