NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
CALCUTTA. MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS. 7
The death-rate among men, women and boys in the Campbell Hospital was
higher during 1897 than in the previous year. This was because most of the
patients were admitted in an emaciated and anæmic condition. The number of
deaths among female children was also greater than in 1896, but the death-rate is
less owing to the larger number of admissions. In the Howrah General Hospital
there was greater mortality amongst men, women and female children, which is
also accounted for by the admission of a larger number of moribund persons,
chiefly pilgrims, who were picked up on the roadside and sent to hospital by the
police. These poor creatures are so enfeebled by privation and disease that in
the majority of cases recovery is impossible. The heavy death-roll of this class
of natives is an annual feature of this hospital.
There was a considerable increase in mortality among men and women in
t he Sout h Suburban Hsospi t al . Here, agai n, t hi s was due t o t he admi ssi on of a
large number of moribund cases, who came to Calcutta, from the famine-stricken
districts At the Medical College Hospital proper the mortality amongst men
was less, but there was an increase in the death-rate amongst women and children,
which, the Principal says, was due not only to the admission of a larger number of
moribund cases, but also to the graver nature of the complaints from which many
suffered. The differences in other hospitals do not call for special comment.
8. The following table shows the principal diseases and the number and
percentages of deaths amongst in-patients. The diseases of both in and out-
patients are shown in Statement No. II in the Appendix, which is submitted in
the revised form prescribed in Government of India, Home Department, Resolu-
tion No. I Medl. ,d a t e d
t h e
9 t h J a n u a r y 1 8 9 7 : —
1 5 - 2 6
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
37. The Howrah General Hospital had 1,439 operations, against 1,232 in
1896. The number of cataract operations fell off from 16 to 12 in 1897. The
following are some of the more important operations:—
Number.
Number.
Extraction of lens
... 12
Amputations of —
Trephining or removal of
Arm
. . .
... 3
portions of the skull
... 2
Shoulder
...
. . . 2
Herniotomy ...
... 1
Forearm
. . .
... 5
Wrist
...
. . . 2
Leg
...
. . . 5
Thigh
...
. . . 3
I am of opinion that more surgery should be done in this hospital. The
operation room is a bad one, but can be improved.
38. In the Appendix will be found a list of selected surgical operations
performed by individual Medical Officers in Calcutta and Howrah during 1897.
This statement is introduced for the first time.
39. Dental Department.—Mr. Woods was in charge of this department
throughout the year. The number of patients relieved was 2,214, against 2,175
in 1896. The number of operations was 2,575, or 117 more than in the previ-
ous year. They consisted of 2,085 extractions, 162 fillings, and 328 of miscel-
laneous character. The sex, religion, and nationalities of the 2,214 patients are
given below:—
Men.
Women.
Children.
Total.
Europeans
... 159
158
76
393
Eurasians
... 287
272
161
720
Hindus
... 494
80
71
645
Muhammadans
... 291
35
21
347
Other classes
... 60
28
21
109
1,291
573
350
2,214
A large amount of medical relief was afforded to the people by the Dental
Department, for which acknowledgments are due to Mr. Woods. The class
lectures delivered by him were regularly attended both by Civil and Military
students. New quarters for this department are approaching completion. It
will remove a long-felt want.
40, Obstetric and Gynœcological Department (Eden Hospital).—The statistics
of this institution will be found in the statements in the Appendix. The
following table gives a summary of the medical relief afforded by it during
1897:—
EUROPEANS AND EURASIANS.
ALL OTHERS.
Remained
on 1st
January
Admitted.
Total.
Remained
on 1st
January
Admitted.
Total.
1896. 1897. 1896. 1897. 1896. 1897. 1896. 1897. 1896. 1897. 1896. 1897.
1 2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Women
... 34
26 498 525 532 551
16
28 750 739 766 767
Children
...
9
2 200 168 209 170
7
4 131 103 138 107
Total ... 43
28 698 693 741 721
23
32 881 842 904 874
The total number of admissions fell from 1,579 to 1,535. The number
of European and Eurasian women increased by 27, while the number of
children of this class was fewer by 32. There was a falling off of 11 in the
number of women, and 28 in that of children of all other classes. No reason
has been given for these slight
variations, nor is any necessary.
The daily average attendance is
shown in the margin. Europeans
and Eurasians show an increase owing to the longer stay of some of the
D 2
19
1896.
1897.
Europeans and Eurasians
... 26.38
35.96
All others
...
... 34.91
31.83
20
REPORT ON THE
patients in the hospital. In the outdoor attendance there is a large falling
off, the reason of which has already been given in paragraph 3 as being
chiefly due to errors in calculation in 1895 and 1896.
The mortality and death-rate among in-patients are shown in the follow-
ing table :—
1896.
1897.
Deaths.
Death-
rate per cent.
Deaths. Death-
rate per cent.
Europeans and
Eurasians.
Women
17
3.19
8
1.45
Children
... 31
14.83
28
16.47
Total
... 48
6.47
36
4.99
All others .. . Women
... 60
7.83
53
6.91
Children
... 35
25.36
36
33.64
Total
... 95
10.50
89
10.18
The death-rate amongst European and Eurasian women shows a remark-
able reduction. The percentage of deaths among native women was also less.
It is noticeable that both among European and Eurasian and native children
the mortality was higher than in 1896. Of the 28 European and Eurasian
children who died, 14, or 50 per cent., were admitted in a moribund state,
and died within 24 hours. Thirteen of the 36 native children who succumbed
were also brought to hospital in a moribund condition.
41. The number of confinement cases was 616, against 640 in 1896. The
diminution occurred in the number of European and Eurasian women. There
Europeans
and
Eurasians.
Natives.
Chlorosis
...
...
1
...
Eclampsia
. . .
...
...
7
Septicæmia
...
...
...
3
Ditto with obstructed
labour
...
...
. . .
2
Obstructed labour
...
...
4
Thrombosis of pulmonary
artery
...
...
...
1
Subacute nephritis
...
. . .
2
Epilepsy
...
...
. . .
1
Placenta prævia
...
. . .
1
Total
...
1
21
was a large reduction in the total
number of deaths—22 against 49 in
1896. The casualties among native
women were 21, or 4.87 per cent.,
against 38 and 9.34 in 1896. Only
one death occurred among European
and Eurasian women, or .47 per cent.,
against 11 and 4.24 in 1896. The
marked diminution in the death-rates
is attributable to fewer bad cases
having been admitted during the year
under report. The causes of the
deaths are noted in the margin.
42. Septicœmia. —There were altogether 24 cases of this disease. The
table below gives the details:—
Europeans
and
Eurasians.
All others.
No.
Died.
No.
Died.
Confined in
hospital.
Admitted in labour and
possibly septic
. . .
1
...
4
1
Admitted foul and septic ...
...
. . .
10
4
Confined
outside
the hos-
pital.
Admitted foul and septic ...
2
1
7
5
Of the 11 patients who died, 10 were admitted to hospital foul and septic, and 6
of the 10 patients were confined outside the hospital. The remaining case
was admitted in labour, and had, it is reported, possibly been infected before
admission. There were 13 recoveries from septicæmia, which is a satisfactory
result. In fact the mortality was reduced by 50 per cent. as compared with
1896. The Obstetric Physician writes:—"No case can be said to have clearly
contracted septicæmia in hospital."
30
REPORT ON THE CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
Dufferin Victoria Hospital.—Miss Baiimler, M.D., was in charge throughout
the year.
Howrah General Hospital.—Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel R. D. Murray was
in charge throughout the year.
Bath-rooms were constructed in the private wards, which are a great
improvement.
70. My predecessor, Surgeon-Colonel J. H. Newman, inspected all the
large medical institutions in Calcutta. I have seen all of them, except 4 small
dispensaries, since assuming charge of the office of Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals, Bengal, on the 9th April last, but those inspections relate to the
current year. My visits have, however, enabled me to judge to some extent of
the work which is being carried on.
I have the honour to be,
SIR,
Your most obedient servant,
T. H. HENDLEY, Surgn.- Col.,
inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, Bengal,
42
STATEMENT V, PART II.
Showing the account of Invested Capital of the Calcutta Medical Institutions
during the year 1897 .
No.
NAMES OF THE INSTITUTIONS.
Balance
on 1st
January.
Invested
during
the year.
Total
Securities
s o l d .
Deposits
with-
drawn.
Balance
on 31st
December.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Rs.
Rs.
Rs.
Rs.
Rs.
Rs.
1 Medical College Hospital Proper . . . 1,17,600
600
1,18,200
. . .
. . . 1,18,200
Choonee Lall Seal's Dispensary . . .
5 0 , 0 0 0 . . .
5 0 , 0 0 0
. . .
. . . 50,000
2 Eden Hospital . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
23,000
3 Ezra Hospital . . .
. . . 23,000
. . .
. . . 23,000
4 Shama Churn Law Eye Hospital . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
5 Presidency General Hospital . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
1,600
6 Campbell Hospital . . .
. . .
1 6 , 0 0 0
. . .
. . . 1 6 , 0 0 0
7 Police Hospital . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
8 Mayo Native Hospital . . .
3,66,400
. . . 3,66,400
. . .
. . . 3,66,400
9 Chandney Hospital . . .
10 Park Street Dispensary . . .
11 Chi t pur Di s pe ns a r y . . .
12 Sukea's Street Dispensary . . .
13 South Suburban Hospital, Bha-
wanipur.
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
14 Dufferin Victoria Hospital . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
Total . . .
5,58,600
600
5,59,200
. . .
. . .
5,59,200
15 Howrah General Hospital . . .
37,500
. . . 37,500
4,000
. . .
33,500
GRAND TOTAL FOR 1897 . . .
5,96,100
600
5,96,700
4,000
. . . 5,92,700
GRAND TOTAL FOR 1896 . . .
5,99,400
2,500
6,01,900
. . .
5,800
5,96,100
W. M. D'C. and others—Reg. No. 208J—200—28-7-98.
MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT.
MEDICAL.
CALCUTTA, THE 7TH SEPTEMBER 1898.
RESOLUTION No. 5677Med.
READ—
The report on the Calcutta Medical Institutions for the year 1897.
Read also—
The report for the year 1896, and the Resolution recorded thereon.
THERE has again been considerable delay in the submission of the report,
which was not received until the 29th July, though due to Government on
the 1st May. The cause of this delay has not been explained.
2. In Calcutta the death-rate rose from 35.7 to 36.1 per thousand, and in
Howrah from 37.34 to 38.49. The rates in both instances are lower than in
1895, (when they were 39.6 and 42.84 respectively) but higher than the rates
recorded during the preceding six years, 1889 to 1894, which were as
follows, viz:—
Calcutta.
Howrah.
1889
...
... 28.7
22.71
1890
...
... 29.8
20.62
1891
...
... 31.5
18.29
1892
...
... 29.6
23.68
1893
...
... 29.5
21.41
1894
...
... 32.9
25.95
It is noteworthy that the death-rate during the past three years, 1895, 1896
and 1897 has been in Calcutta largely, and in Howrah very largely, in
excess of the rates recorded for a number of years previously. The high
current rates were referred to in the Reports for 1895 and 1896, but the con-
tinuance for a third year of what the Lieutenant-Governor hopes is an
exceptional mortality deserves further examination. The matter falls more
particularly within the province of the Calcutta Corporation and the Sanitary
Commissioner, whose attention will be directed to it. The increase in Calcutta
and Howrah has now been maintained for three successive years, and appears
to deserve more attention than it has yet received. The Lieutenant-Governor
desires that Surgeon-Colonel Headley will have the present course of mortality
closely watched, and that any unusual feature that may attract his notice may
be promptly communicated to Government.
The deaths from cholera in Calcutta and Howrah fell from 3,449 and 1,118
to 2,349 and 395, respectively. In all other diseases, however, Calcutta shows
an increase of mortality, while in Howrah there has been a considerable
diminution in the number of deaths from bowel-complaints and " Other causes."
Small-pox prevailed in an epidemic form during the early part of the year,
though to nothing like the extent to which it grew in Calcutta in 1895.
( 5 )
13. The increase in the number of in-door patients treated during the year
in the Shama Charan Law Eye Hospital was nominal, while the number of out-
door patients rose from 13,206 to 15,941. There was a diminution in the daily
average attendance, which was 158.45 against 161.34, but the number of
operations rose from 597 to 1,197, of which 327 were extractions of lens for
cataract. Vision was restored in 83.24 per cent. of these cases against 80.40 in
the previous year.
14. The Lieutenant-Governor observes with pleasure that the work done
by trained nurses at the Medical College, Howrah General, Campbell and South
Suburban Hospitals is well spoken of by the Medical Officers concerned. The
nursing at the Presidency General Hospital is under the superintendence of the
Clewer Sisters, whose devotion to their work is spoken of in high terms of
praise. The Superintendent has, however, noted a tendency on the part of
the nurses to restrict their work to taking temperatures and administering
medicines, relegating their other duties to menial servants. Steps have been
taken to check this. The whole question of nursing in this hospital has been
under the consideration of a Committee, and much needed reforms both here
and at the Eden Hospital will, it is hoped, be introduced before long.
15. The invested capital of the Calcutta and Howrah Hospitals shows a
decrease from Rs. 5,96,100 to Rs. 5,92,700. Rupees 600 was invested during
the year by the Medical College Hospital, and securities to the face value of
Rs. 4,000 were sold by the Howrah General Hospital. The following statement
compares the main heads of receipts and expenditure for all the hospitals during
the year:—
Income.
1896.
1897.
Rs.
Rs.
Opening balance
...
. . .
28,954
33,945
From Government
...
... 4,46,699
5,18,580
Local Funds
...
. . . 79,476
66,037
Muncipal „
...
...
40,221
41,217
Interest on investments
...
...
26,061
25,974
Receipts from paying patients ...
...
48,293
50,567
Miscellaneous receipts
. . .
...
3,746
11,131
Subscriptions Europeans ...
. . .
9,426
10,573
Natives
. . .
...
3,940
1,543
From sale of medicines not supplied by
Government
. . .
...
......
......
Total receipts from sources other than
Government
. . .
... 2,11,163
2,07,042
Sale-proceeds of Government securities
...
......
3,880
GRAND TOTAL
... 6,86,816
7,63,447
Expenditure.
1896.
1897.
Rs.
Rs.
Establishment
...
... 2,63,676
2,68,502
Bazar medicines
. . .
. . .
5,730
5,791
European „
...
...
30,954
41,152
Diet
...
... 1,24,312
1,41,662
Miscellaneous charges
...
... 1,01,209
1,12,384
Buildings and repairs
. . .
... 1,28,563
1,63,550
Total
... 6,54,444
7,33,041
Invested during the year
...
...
2,500
600
Closing balance
. . .
...
29,872
29,806
GRAND TOTAL
... 6,86,816
7,63,447
16. The total income, excluding the opening balance, amounted to
Rs. 7,29,502, which exceeds that of the previous year by Rs. 71,630. The cost
Corporation of Calcutta
Police, Calcutta
Bengal
for information.
( 7 )
Nos. 5679-81 Medl.
COPY of the Resolution and of the Report forwarded to the
.1) Chairman of the
2) Commissioner of
3) Sanitary Commissioner,
No. 5682Medl.
COPY of the Resolution and of the Report forwarded to the Bengal Branch
of the Lady Dufferin Fund for information.
No. 5683Medl.
COPY of the Resolution forwarded to the Commissioner of the Burdwan
Division for information, and for communication to the Commissioners of the
Howrah Municipality, the Magistrate of Howrah, and the Superintendent of
the Howrah General Hospital.
By order of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
FRANK LYALL,
Offg. Under-Secy. to the Govt. of Bengal.
CALCUTTA,
The 7th September 1898.
E. J.H.–Reg.No. 27110–428–9.9.98.
IP/6/HG 4
REPORT
1
ON THE
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS
FOR THE YEAR 1893.
BY
COLONEL T. H. HENDLEY, C.I.E., I.M,S.,
Inspector-General of Cibil Hospitals, Bengal.
BENGAL SECRETARIAT PRESS.
1899 .
Price Rs. 2.
REPOR
ON THE
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS
F O R
T H E Y E A R 1 8 9 8 .
BY
COLONEL T. H. HENDLEY, C.I.E., I.M.S.,
Inspector-General of Cibil Hospitals, Bengal.
BENGAL SECRETARIAT PRESS.
1899.
Published at the BENGAL SECRETARIAT BOOK DEPÔT,
Writers' Buildings, Calcutta.
In India
—
THACKER, SPINK & Co., Calcutta.
W. NEWMAN & Co., Calcutta.
TRACKER & Co., Bombay.
HIGGINBOTHAM & CO., Madras.
SUPERINTENDENT, AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION PRESS, Rangoon.
In London
—
E. A. ARNOLD, 37 Bedford Street, Strand, W.C.
CONSTABLE & Co., 2 Whitehall Gardens, S.W.
SAMPSON Low, MARSTON & Co., St. Dunstan’s House, Fetter Lane, E.G.
P. S. KING & SON, 9 Bridge Street, Westminster, S.W.
LUZAC & Co., 46 Great Russell Street, W.C.
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & CO., Charing Cross Road, W.C.
B. QUARITCH, 15 Piccadilly, W.
On the Continent
—
FRIEDLÄNDER & SOHN, 11, Carlstrasse, Berlin.
OTTO HARRASSOWITZ, Leipzig.
KARL W. HIERSEMANN, Leipzig.
ERNEST LEROUX, 28, Rue Bonaparte, Paris.
MARTINUS NIJHOFF, The Hague.
CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
19
Brought forward
... 15,485
Other dental operations
...
. . .
...
...
597
For trichiasis
...
...
...
. . .
. . .
213
„ pterygium . . .
...
...
. . .
. . .
74
„ fistula lacrymalis and lacrymal obstruction
...
...
65
Extraction of foreign bodies from the eye
...
...
209
Removal of wax and foreign bodies from the ear
...
...
124
Cauterisation of throat
...
...
...
. . .
64
For hydrocele
—
Tapping
...
...
...
...
...
761
„ with injection ...
. . .
. . . .
...
523
Replacement of inverted uterus
...
...
...
109
Playfair's probe passed into the uterus ...
...
...
560
Scraping of uterine cavity ...
...
...
...
121
Sound passed into the uterus ...
...
...
...
316
Pessary applied for retroversion of the uterus
...
. . .
117
Dilatation of stenosed cervix uteri
...
...
...
129
Repair of perineum
...
...
...
. . .
122
Removal of retained or adherent membranes
...
...
107
Total
... 19,696
42. Medical College Hospital Proper including Chuni Lal Seal's Outdoor
Dispensary and Dental Dispensary, had 6,516 operations against 7,858 in 1897.
There were 63 deaths, or .96 per cent., against .78 in 1897. The Principal
says the increase in the death-rate is due to a larger number of operations of a
serious nature having been performed. The following is a list of the more
important operations performed in 1898:—
Number.
Number.
Trephining, or removing portions
Nephrotomy
. . .
...
1
of the skull
...
...
6
Removal of scrotal tumour ... 36
Rhinoplasty
...
...
1
Amputations of—
Tracheotomy
...
...
2
Arm
...
...
2
Litholapaxy
. . .
... 13
Forearm
...
...
3
Nephro-lithotomy ...
...
1
Shoulder
. . .
...
2
Cholecystotomy
...
...
2
Leg
. . .
... 15
Operations for strangulated hernia 25
Thigh
...
...
9
„ for radical cure of hernia 27
Knee
...
...
1
Colotomy
...
...
1
Foot
...
...
5
Excision of vermiform appendix
2
Laparotomy
...
... 11
Total
... 166
Nephrectomy
. . .
...
1
The number of more important operations was 166 in 1898, against 165
in 1897 and 170 in 1896. The hospital was thoroughly equipped during the
year 1898 with a large stock of modern surgical instruments.
43. The Presidency General Hospital shows 350 operations, against 473 in
1897. There were 14 deaths or 3.78 per cent., against 9 and 1.79 respectively
in 1897. As regards the increased death-rate, the Surgeon-Superintendent
states that "the mortality must vary greatly with the nature of the disease and
the circumstances under which the operation is performed."
The more important operations are detailed below:—
Number.
Number.
Excision of varices
...
3
Operations for hydrocele with
Tracheotomy
. . .
...
2
excision of parietal part of sac 2
Operations for strangulated hernia 2
Amputations of
—
Colotomy
...
...
1
Shoulder
...
...
1
Excision of vermiform appendix
1
Arm
...
...
1
Laparotomy
. . .
...
1
Trephining, or removing portions
Total
... 17
of skull
. . .
...
3
The total number of more important operations shows a falling off as
compared with the figures of 1897 and 1896, when they were 33 and 42,
D 2
24
REPORT ON THE
following table shows in a condensed form the medical relief afforded by it
during 1898:—
EUROPEANS AND EURASIANS.
ALL OTHERS.
Remained
on 1st
January
Admitted.
Total.
Remained
on 1st
January.
Admitted.
Total.
1897. 1898. 1897. 1898. 1897.
1898. 1897. 1898. 1897. 1898.
1897. 1898.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Women
...
26
8
525
554
551
562
28
24
739
578
767
602
Children
...
2
9
168
148
170
157
4
...
103
92
107
92
Total
...
28
17
693
702
721
719
32
24
842
670
874
694
The total number of admissions was 1,372, against 1,535 in the previous
year. The number of European and Eurasian women was more by 29, but the
number of children of this class shows a decrease of 20. The numbers of women
and children of all other classes show a falling off of 161 and 11, respectively.
which is attributed to the plague scare.
The daily average attendance is re-
produced in the margin. The number
of European and Eurasian patients
treated in the outdoor department increased by 507 owing to its growing popu
-larity, but the number of all others shows a falling off of 895, the cause of which
has already been explained, viz., the plague scare. The Obstetric Physician
writes:—"For some weeks practically no native patients attended."
The following table shows the mortality and death-rate among in-patients
during 1898 and in the previous year:—
1897.
1898.
Deaths.
Death-rate
per cent.
Deaths
Death-rate
per cent.
Europeans and
Eurasians.
Women
...
8
1.45
16
2.84
Children
... 28
16.47
21
13.37
Total
... 36
4.99
37
5.14
All others
. . .
Women
... 53
6.91
49
8.13
Children
... 36
33.64
23
25.
Total
... 89
10.18
72
10.37
The death-rate amongst European and Eurasian women was higher than in
1897, while that among children of this class fell off from 16.47 per cent. to
13.37 in 1898. The rate of mortality among children of all other classes shows
a marked diminution. This is accounted for by the mild nature of the diseases
from which they suffered. The percentage of deaths among native women was
slightly in excess of that of 1897. Of the 21 deaths among European and
Eurasian children, 6 occurred in patients admitted in a moribund condition
dying within 24 hours of admission. Eight of the 23 native children who died,
were admitted in a moribund state.
56. The number of confinement cases was 582, or 34 fewer than in the
previous year. The falling off was in
the number of women of all other
classes. There were 18 deaths, against
22 in the previous year. The deaths
among European and Eurasian women
were 3 or 1.36 per cent., against 1 and
.47, respectively, in 1897. Among
women of all other classes there were
15 deaths, the death-rate being 3.93
per cent., against 4.87 in the previous
year. The causes of the deaths are
given in the margin.
1897.
1898.
Europeans and Eurasians
... 36.96
33.59
All others
. . .
... 31.83
29.08
Europeans
and
Eurasians.
All others.
Placenta prævia ...
...
1
1
Puerperal eclampsia
...
1
3
Exhaustion after prolonged
labour
...
...
1
. . .
Septicæmia
...
...
...
4
Pneumonia
...
...
...
3
Exhaustion after Cæsarian section ...
1
Moribund
...
...
. . .
2
Malarial cachexia ...
. . .
. . .
1
Total
. . .
3
15