11
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
obnoxious to chills, and favoured the development of the bacillus malariæ
now believed to have been effectually differentiated. Fevers are directly
fatal in comparatively few cases, and so we have the phenomenon of a
very unhealthy autumn, as measured by the prevalence of sickness, in a year
of low mortality so far as Calcutta and Howrah are concerned. The undrained
Suburbs had an increase of mortality as well as of sickness.
16. Venereal diseases—again show an increase in spite of the diminished
1888
...
...
12,920
1889
...
...
12,793
1890
...
...
12,326
1891
...
...
11,886
1892
...
...
13,072
1893
...
...
14,483
number of sailors in port. The figures are given in
the margin, and include in and out-patients at all
the institutions including the Voluntary Venereal
Hospitals. There was a decrease at the General
Hospital, a fall of 45 at the Chitpur Dispensary, and
an increase everywhere else, amounting in the total
to 1,411. Of this excess the inclusion of the statistics of the Dufferin Victoria
Hospital accounts for 294. The Medical College Hospital had an increase of
551, the Campbell 150, the Police Hospital 4, the Voluntary Venereal Hospitals
279, Bhawanipur Dispensary 3, and the Mayo institutions, taken together, 310.
The medical officers in charge are unable to assign any reason for the increase,
and I need not speculate on the subject. I find there was a decreased
prevalence among the European garrison. A decrease of 135 at the Presidency
General Hospital is attributed to the smaller number of seamen in port.
It is noteworthy that 1,043 of the increase is due
to primary and secondary syphilis, the worst forms
of venereal disease. The figures given in the
margin show the cases of those two varieties treated
in the last six years, but the official reports do
not furnish sufficient information to allow me to
generalize as to the variations. From what I know
of medical statistics, it would probably be safe
to say that as the figures stand no valid inferences could be drawn from
them.
17. Tubercular affections—gave 264 admissions with 165 deaths, or 62.50
per cent. against 134, 59 and 44.02 in 1892. I think, however, there is some
confusion in the figures, and that the increase is more apparent than real,
pulmonary phthisis being included in some returns and not in others, and
the rule varying in the same hospital in different years. I have issued
instructions which should clear up this point next year. It would cause
considerable delay to rearrange the figures as,
—
18. Respiratory affections— are also involved in the confusion. In last
year's report these are put down as accounting for 804 admissions, but these
include only diseases of parts of the respiratory apparatus other than the
lungs, and no notice is taken of 865 admissions for disease of the lungs. The
two classes together gave 1,669 admissions and 340 deaths in 1892. There were
1,787 admissions and 317 deaths in 1893. Influenza showed a great dimin-
ution, but this was more than made up by a great number of cases of catarrh
and bronchitis, etc., due to chills in the rains.
19. Leprosy.—Only 32 lepers were admitted against 94 in 1892 and
134 in 1891. All were very advanced cases, and 10 died, or 31.25 per cent.
No reason is assigned for the diminished numbers in any of the reports,
and the increased accommodation at the Leper Asylum is not yet available.
There is a very natural disinclination to admit such cases unless they are in
urgent need of help. Nineteen of the cases and eight of the deaths were at the
Campbell Hospital, four with two deaths at Howrah, six were treated in the
Presidency General Hospital, two at the Medical College Hospital, and one in
the Police Hospital.
20. Rheumatic affections—gave 687 admissions with only three deaths as
compared with 875 admissions and 10 deaths in 1892. This is curious
considering the climatic conditions of the year. Damp and chill, in Europe,
predispose strongly to rheumatism; in this country their chief effect is on
the abdominal viscera and in increasing the tendency to fever.
Primary
syphilis.
secondary
syphilis.
1888
... 4,684
4,422
1889
... 4,752
4,502
1890
... 4,000
3,247
1891
...
3,903
3,241
1892
... 4,109
3,348
1893
... 4,878
3,622
B 2
*