16
REPORT ON THE
There were 27 cases of enteric fever in 1897, or 4 more than in 1896. Of
the 27, 16 were Europeans, 10 Eurasians, and 1 a native. At the Medical College
Hospital 3 Europeans were treated, of whom 1 died and 2 recovered. One
European was also treated in the Eden Hospital, and the patient got well. At
the Presidency General Hospital 12 Europeans were treated, 1 case ending
fatally, and 10 Eurasians amongst whom there were 3 deaths. A post-mortem
examination was performed on the European fatal case, which verified the
diagnosis. The larger number, however, of cases in this hospital with fewer
deaths in 1897 raises the question whether the diagnosis in all cases was correct.
The Superintendent, Brigade-Surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel Crombie, attributes
this striking difference in the number and results of 1897 to a tendency to include
cases of remittent fever in the category of enteric fever. The solitary native
was treated in the Campbell Hospital. The patient succumbed, and the result of
the autopsy performed on this case supported the diagnosis.
23. The usual table showing the prevalence of this disease amongst the
British troops in the Presidency district is given below :—
Statement showing the number of men admitted into the Military Hospitals, and who died
from Enteric Fever in the years 1896 and 1897.
CALCUTTA.
BARRACKPORE.
DUM-DUM.
JALLAPAHAR.
1896. 1897.
1896.
1897.
1896.
1897.
1896.
1897.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Average strength of all ranks . . .
...
...
1,049
1,056
372
332
981
829
521
492
Number of admissions from enteric fever ...
10
Nil
*25
†23
10
1
Nil
4
Number of deaths from enteric fever
...
4
Nil
2
1
4
Nil
Nil
Nil
* One woman was also admitted.
† Two women also admitted. No deaths amongst women.
24. Remittent fever. —There were 869 cases, against 1,075 in 1896. The
diminution chiefly took place in the Campbell Hospital, the Superintendent of
which states that it was due to a difference of diagnosis which resulted in many
of the cases being classed under malarial fevers. The number of deaths was
180, or 20.71 per cent., against 289 and 26.88 per cent. in 1896.
25.
Cerebro-spinal fever. —There was only one case treated for this disease
in 1897, against 9 in the previous year. The patient was treated in the Mayo
Hospital and recovered.
26. Surgical operations. —Details of the surgical work performed during
1897 in the medical institutions in Calcutta are given in statement No. III in
the Appendix.
The total number of operations for which names are specified was 25,745
in 1897, against 24,067 in 1896. These figures are, however, exclusive of the
1,410 and 6,340 reported to have been performed in these two years, respect-
ively, but not designated in the returns because no details were kept.
The number of patients on whom the 25,745 operations were performed
was 25,096. The difference was chiefly due to there having been 432
"secondary" operations, and to the fact that in the South Suburban Hospital
the operation known as passing of catheters was performed 203 times on
62 patients. The number of cases of repeated catheterism is much less than
in 1896, as it has been altogether excluded this year from the returns of the
Eden Hospital. This will also be omitted in future from the returns of
other hospitals.
Owing to the change of system in recording surgical operations it is difficult
to compare the work with that of past years. My experience, which has been,
as regards surgery, on a large scale, leads me to regret the altered mode of
registration, more especially as it is not now so easy as formerly to ascertain
whether medical officers are as active in this important field as they ought to be.
The total number of deaths among patients on whom operations were
performed, including those remaining under treatment from 1896, was 178, or
.70 per cent., against 160 and .73, respectively, in 1896.