2
REPORT ON THE
cases a large increase—in the deaths recorded under them both in Calcutta and
Howrah. Those grouped under the heading “other causes” were somewhat
less in Calcutta, but at Howrah they were nearly of double the average of the
past ten years. The most noticeable feature of the table is the exceptionally
large mortality in Calcutta from small-pox, which visited the town in a severe
epidemic form in the early months of 1895.
3. Numbers treated. —The number of out-patients treated shows a small
increase of 2,631, the figures having been 266,672, against 264,041 in 1894.
At the Medical College Hospital there was an increase of 535, which is
a t t r i b - u t e d b y t h e P r i n c i p a l t o t h e g r o w i n g p o p u l a r i t y o f t h e o u t d o o r w a r d o f t h e
Eden Hospital and of the department for the treatment of the diseases of the
throat, ear and nose, which for some months have been placed under
the care of a Specialist, viz., Dr. F. O’Kinealy, who, with Dr. Kadar
Nath Das, performed 139 major and 745 minor operations in 1895. The
Presidency General Hospital shows an increase of 216 patients, and this
was due to the outdoor department having worked throughout the year,
instead of for only nine months in 1894. The new department has no
doubt supplied a long-felt want. The attendance has increased, and, I think,
the more its existence is known to the general public, the more the attendance
will be. The opening of the new hospital at Bhawanipur may, to a certain
extent, attract patients who would otherwise resort to the General Hospital,
but I do not think it will affect the numbers of patients attending at the
latter institution to any appreciable extent. At the Campbell Hospital there
was an increase of 1,127 patients, but the Superintendent remarks that he found
on examining the registers that many of the patients who did not bring their
tickets when attending the out-door department for more medicines were given
fresh tickets, and thus the number of new patients increased. This practice has,
however, been stopped by the Superintendent. The Mayo Hospital and its
branch, the Chandney Hospital, had an increase of 2,004 between them. The
increase at Chandney is represented by 547. The Superintendent of the Mayo
Hospital states that no reasonable cause can be assigned for the increase at that
institution, the figures fluctuating from year to year. There was an excess of
1,505 at the Chitpur Dispensary, and of 317 at the Bhawanipur Dispensary.
At the former a larger number of cases suffering from malarial fevers was treated
(4,769, against 3,967). The increase at the latter is small, but the medical officer
in charge states that it may be due to the greater unhealthiness of the year. It
has been observed before that the general health of the people at Howrah
was worse in 1895. This statement is confirmed by the increase of 578
patients at the Howrah General Hospital. There was a decrease, on the other
hand, at the Park Street Dispensary, 1,819, at the Sukea’s Street Dispensary,
1,112—both are the branches of the Mayo Hospital—and at the Dufferin
Victoria Hospital, 720. In respect of the falling off in the first two institutions
the Superintendent states that no reasonable cause can be assigned for it as
the figures fluctuate from year to year. As regards the decrease at the Dufferin
Hospital, the Lady Doctor states that it was probably due to great attention
being paid to the exclusion of patients of doubtful character.
4. I ndoor patients.— The number of house-patients was 26,879, against
24,912 in 1894, or an increase of 1,967.
The net results of each hospital are
given in the margin. All the institu-
tions, except the Medical College Hos-
pital, shared the increase. At the
Campbell Hospital the increase was
chiefly due to the admission of a very
large number of small-pox cases. The
daily average number, however, fell off
by 32.02 owing to, the Superintendent states, the admission of a larger number
of acute cases. It is evident from the figures shown against the Police Hospital
that the members of the force suffered much from bad health in 1895.
A larger number of cases of malarial fevers was treated at the hospital. The
increase at the Dufferin Victoria Hospital is satisfactory. That at the
Chandney Hospital was small. The Superintendent of the Howrah General
Hospital attributes the increase in his hospital to the greater unhealthiness of
Medical College Hospital
Presidency General Hospital
...
...
—
93
+
93
Police Hospital
•••
..,
+
677
Campbell Hospital
...
...
+ 746
Mayo Hospital
...
•••
+
144
Chandney Hospital
...
...
+
29
Dufferin Victoria Hospital
...
+ 216
Howrah General Hospital
...
+ 155
+ 1,967