14
REPORT ON THE
Hospital, viz., 71.42. Howrah comes next with a rate of 59.91, and is followed
by the Campbell Hospital with a rate of 46.58. This heavy mortality was
caused by the admission of a large number of chronic and moribund cases.
15. Malarial fevers.—The number of deaths from fever in the town of
1896. 1897.
In-patients
. . . 3,983
4,604
Out-patients
. . .44,999 41,421
Total
. . . 48,982 46,025
Calcutta was slightly in excess of that of 1896.
The admissions to hospitals also show an increase.
The total number of patients, "in" and "out," are
shown in the margin. The total death-rate was
11.38 per cent., against 9.49 in 1896. Amongst
Europeans it was 3.32 against 2.10, and amongst
other classes 12.45 against 11.09 in 1896.
16. Venereal diseases—Show an increase of 307 as noted in the margin.
1888
. . .
. . . 12,920
1889
. . .
. . . 12,793
1890
. . .
. . . 12,326
1891
. . .
. . . 11,886
1892
. . .
. . . 13,072
1893
. . .
. . . 14,483
1894
...
... 13,419
1895
...
. . . 13,674
1896
...
... 14,216
1897
...
... 14,523
The figures include "in" as well as "out" patients
treated in all the hospitals in Calcutta, including
the Voluntary Venereal Hospitals. In the Medical
College Hospital there was an increase of 63 cases,
and in the Campbell Hospital an increase of 454.
The Superintendent of the latter institution explains
that the increase among "in" patients is more
apparent than real, as more persons came to the
hospital for treatment in 1897 because of the higher
prices of food-grains that prevailed during the year. In other years, he says,
these people would have been treated privately. The Superintendent cannot,
however, explain the reason of the increase in the number of outdoor patients.
The Police Hospital had an excess of 53 cases, Chandney Hospital 5, Park
Street Dispensary 18, and the South Suburban Hospital 419. The last-named
hospital, which has taken the place of the Bhowanipore Dispensary, was open
throughout the year and, as already stated, is a popular institution. On the
other hand, there was a decrease of 25 in the Presidency General Hospital, the
Mayo Hospital and its branches—Chitpore and Sukea's Street Dispensaries
—had a total falling off of 318; the Dufferin Victoria Hospital 142, and the
Voluntary Venereal Hospitals 54.
The numbers of cases treated for the two serious forms of venereal
affections are shown below:—
Primary
syphilis.
Secondary
syphilis.
Primary
syphilis.
Secondary
syphilis.
1888 ...
... 4,684
4,422
1893 ...
... 4,878
3,622
1889 . . .
... 4,752
4,502
1894 ...
... 4,622
3,432
1890 ...
... 4,000
3,247
1895 ...
... 4,478
3,377
1891 ...
... 3,903
3,241
1896 ...
... 4,469
3,610
1892 ...
... 4,109
3,348
1897 ...
... 3,878
4,555
In the revised statement of diseases prescribed in Government of India,
Home Department, Resolution No. 1Medl./15–26, dated the 9th January 1897, "Soft
chancre" has been substituted for the heading "venereal diseases other than
those in Group A," which used to be in the old form. The statistics of the
year under report have been given in the revised form, the variations
noticeable in the numbers treated for primary syphilis and secondary syphilis
being due to a change of classification. A fair comparison will therefore only
be possible when the statistics of the current year are available.
17. Tuberculous diseases—Account for 442 admissions against 347 in 1896.
The death-rate also increased from 34 per cent. to 36.42 in 1897. The highest
mortality occurred in the Howrah General Hospital, where 25 out of 35 cases
among other classes were fatal, or 71. 42 per cent., against 57.14 per cent. in 1896.
18. Respiratory diseases, including diseases of the lungs— Gave 1,839 admis-
sions, against 1,907 in 1896. Cases of pneumonia were less common in the year
under report. The number of deaths was 429, or 28 more than in 1896, the
death-rate being 23.23 as compared with 21.02 in the previous year.
The number of cases treated for diseases of the lungs alone was almost the
same as in 1896—910 against 909, and the percentage of mortality was
slightly less, viz., 31.75 against 32.56 in 1896.
19. Leprosy.—The number of cases admitted to hospitals was 50, against
22 in 1896. The great majority, viz., 35, was treated in the Campbell Hospital.