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Funds, and is due to a larger receipt from the Hospital Port Dues Fund for the
treatment of sick sailors. The receipts from paying patients also rose to the
extent of Rs. 1,038. The cost to Government shows a reduction of Rs. 18,818.
Subscriptions from Europeans, however, show a considerable decrease, while
that from natives rose from Rs. 1,371 to Rs. 3,706. The total expenditure
was Rs. 4,80,931, against Rs. 4,83,770 in the previous year. The decrease was
chiefly under the head of Buildings and Repairs.
17. There was a little increase under the head of Establishment, both
superior and inferior. The cause of this increase has not been explained, but in
paragraphs 54 to 57 of the report, the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals
compares the cost of establishment on each patient treated in the different
institutions, and shows that the cost was highest in the Presidency General
Hospital owing, it is said, to the staff there comprising several highly paid
commissioned medical officers, whose entire salary is debited to the hospital,
whereas the salaries of most of the officers employed in the Medical College
Hospital, are charged to the College. The variation in the cost of compounders
and dressers is said to be due to a difference in book-keeping. The Inspector-
General of Civil Hospitals should correct this difference by laying down a
sufficient number of heads of expenditure, to which all the institutions should
conform.
18. The cost of European medicines also shows an increase of Rs. 1,649,
and the comparison instituted by the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals of the
cost per head in the different institutions shows that the cost was higher in the
Presidency General Hospital than in the Medical College. The Superintendent
is unable to account for this difference, but is convinced that the medicines have
been actually used. Considering, however, the high cost of each European and
native patient, the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals thinks that there is room
for economy in both these institutions, and the Lieutenant-Governor desires that
this conclusion should be enforced as far as possible. The high figures in the
Dufferin Hospital are said to be due to the purchase of medicines at a high price
in the local market. This defect will be amended by the arrangements recently
made for obtaining medicines from England at wholesale prices, and then
distributing them to the different institutions according to their requirements.
19. The cost of diet also shows an increase, but the maximum rate fixed
for European patients in Government order No. 1-D/24 4, dated the 4th December
1890, has not been exceeded in any of the institutions except the Campbell
Hospital, where small-pox patients are treated, and where the average cost of
dieting such patients is not restricted to the above maximum. In the Mayo
Hospital, which at one time enjoyed the reputation of being the most economi
cally managed medical institution in Calcutta, the cost of diets for native
patients in 1892 (3 annas 81/5p i e s ) e x c e e d e d t h e m a x i m u m r a t e , a n d t h e c o s t
in 1893 (annas 3 and 5 pies) is still above the maximum. The Lieutenant-
Governor trusts that the Superintendent will devote special attention to the subject,
and to Dr. Harvey's remarks in paragraph 60, and endeavour during the current
year to win back for the hospital its old reputation.
20. The Lieutenant-Governor regrets that the projected Hospital for
South Calcutta, from which he anticipates so much advantage to the sick poor,
and the erection of which has more than once been urged by the Government
of India, has not been begun during the year under review. Grave difficulties
were met with in the selection of a site and in the provision of funds, but it is
believed that the first of these has already been surmounted, and the Lieutenant-
Governor expects that the improvement of the Provincial finances and the
liberality of the Corporation of Calcutta will enable him to commence the
building before the close of the current year.
21. Dr. Harvey remarks, in conclusion, that there has been a marked
advance of recent years in the general efficiency of the Calcutta Medical
Institutions; the work has been better done, material improvements have been
introduced everywhere, the patients have been provided with greater comforts,
the death-rate has been lowered, and the cost, both to Government and in
general, has been diminished. This is valuable testimony from an officer who
knows Calcutta well, and who has now returned to it after an absence of about
three years. The thanks of the Lieutenant-Governor are due to Surgeon Colonel
Harvey for his interesting review of the year's work and for the punctuality with