( 4 )
amount of general and important surgical work is done are the Medical College
and the Mayo Hospitals, while the operations at the Eden and Shama Charan
Law Hospitals are equally important, but of a more special character. The
largest number of operations was performed at the Medical College Hospital,
where the year has been one of great surgical activity, with very improve-
tory results : the death-rate in amputation cases shows a noticeable impro
ment. The major operations performed at the Campbell and the Mayo
Hospitals were also numerous, and. gave a low rate of mortality, but at
the former institution, beyond the amputation cases, there were very few
really important operations, and the students of the Medical School at Sealdah,
unlike those at Patna, Dacca, and Cuttack, had very limited opportunities of
acquiring a knowledge of the higher surgery. The Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals does not hope for any great improvement in this respect until a proper
surgical ward has been provided : the construction of such a ward has now
been sanctioned, and the work is being taken in hand during the current
year. The statistics of the Dufferin Hospital for women have for the first
time been included in this report, and show 12 major operations. Dr. Harvey
passes a severe but not undeserved condemnation upon the situation and
surroundings of this hospital: his remarks will be communicated to the Secretary
to the Bengal Branch of the Lady Dufferin Fund. In the Howrah General
Hospital the number of major operations fell from 230 to 116, but the number
is said to have been abnormally large in 1892 owing to the number of
operations on the eye performed by Surgeon-Major R. D . Murray, who had a
special reputation in ophthalmic cases. It is, however, observed that this hospital
has been deprived of credit for 47 operations for the setting of fractures which
have not been included in the present classification, though this important opera-
tion involves as much anxious work as any surgical case. The total number
of minor operations was 19,001 against 19,880, showing a reduction of 879 cases,
but it is said that no record of the minor operations performed at the Eden
Hospital was maintained, which makes these statistics incomplete and accounts
for the falling off noticed above. The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals
has taken the necessary steps to provide against such omissions in future.
The number of dental operations performed during the year was 2,468
against 2,744 in the previous year. The Eurasians again head the list of persons
applying for dental relief, while the number of Europeans fell from 702 to 695.
11. The number of admissions into the Eden Hospital was 1,367 against
1,546 in the previous year. The decrease is said to be due to cases of minor im-
portance having been treated in the out-door department, but the attendance in
that department also shows a reduction. There was, however, an increase in
the average daily number of inmates, which indicates that the cases treated were
severe in nature, requiring a long stay at the hospital. The death-rate among
Europeans was very high, being 8 .40 per cent. against 3.36 in 1892, while that
among Hindus and Muhammadans shows a reduction from 8.98 to 8.42 per cent.
The percentage of deaths among other classes was 12.02. There were 573 con-
finement cases against 501 in 1892, of which 25 ended fatally against 26. The
number of, cases of septicæmia was the same as in the previous year, viz. 31,
but there were fewer deaths. A proposal for the construction of a special ward for
the treatment of this disease is under consideration : such a ward is much wanted,
and it is hoped that it may soon be taken in hand. The Lieutenant-Governor
observes again in the statistics of this hospital proof of the lamentable tendency
of natives to delay the removal of a patient to the hospital till the case is
almost hopeless, but he is glad to learn that the usefulness of the institution is
increasing year by year. In this hospital, 337 major operations were performed,
against 365 in 1892, and death followed in 31 cases.
12. The number of in-door patients treated in the Shama Charan Law Eye
Infirmary was almost the same as in the previous year, but the increase
of out-door patients noticed last year has not been maintained. Most of
the operations performed in this hospital were extractions of the lens, and 70.98
per cent. of these operations were entirely successful.
13. The number of out-door patients treated in the Ezra Hospital rose
by 383, but that of the in-door patients was very small, being 281 against 350
in the previous year; and out of 22 beds provided in the hospital, only 14 were
constantly occupied, owing, it is said, to the admission being restricted to Jews