CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
Darjeeling Eden Sanitarium, and there was a smaller demand for special and
particular drugs not included in the Government lists. A donation of Rs. 500
given by His Highness the Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior was invested during
the year.
64. Chuni Lal Seal's Dispensary —spent within Rs. 10 of the figures for
1892. Its accounts are kept separate in terms of the founder's will, but it is
practically a part of the Medical College Hospital.
65. Presidency General Hospital —with a daily average of 167.69 patients,
29
Rs. A. P.
Medical officers ...
...
426 9 2
Inferior establishment and
servants
...
...
198 7 6
Bazar medicine ...
...
30 7 4
D i e t
...
... 206 0 11
Miscellaneous charges
...
922 13 5
Building and repairs
...
146 10 6
Total
... 1,931 0 10
3.28 less than in 1892, spent Rs. 992-9-3
more than in 1892. The increase was
spread over most of the items of account,
but was reduced to the figure named by a
saving of Rs. 938-7-7 in English medicines
and instruments. The increase for medical
officers seems a mere question of account,
the locum tenens of a suspended apothecary
having to be paid, while the pay of the
man suspended was on his return to duty also debited to the hospital.
Compensation for dearness of provisions explains the increase in inferior
establishment. Diet has been already considered. It may be noted, however,
that the highest expenditure is in the wards under the Resident Surgeons, and
that the Superintendent has repeatedly called attention to the fact that the
sanctioned maximum was being exceeded. The reply was that the cases
under treatment could not be dieted for less, an explanation which can hardly
be accepted, as the rates for Europeans have been kept under the maximum
elsewhere. The Resident Surgeons have been addressed on the subject.
Miscellaneous charges are swollen by Rs. 491 for the purchase of enamelled
jugs, Rs. 203-11-9 for sending sick seamen to Darjeeling, and Rs. 227 for
punkah coolies, punkahs being now supplied in the hot weather. The
decreased expenditure on medicines is attributed to the smaller number
of patients, but must be due to other causes, since the daily average number of
patients was only 3 . 28 less than in 1892.
Ignoring the opening and closing cash balances, the total cost to Govern-
ment was Rs. 17,531-5-2 less than in 1892, and Rs. 28,858-8-8 less than in
1891: the income from local sources showing an increase of Rs. 18,523-14-5
over 1892 and of Rs. 28,765-10-0 over 1891. This proves that the efforts to
make the hospital more self-supporting are bearing good fruit. It still, however,
costs Government Rs. 59,555-4-11. The increase in local receipts is due to a
greater amount having been received from paying patients and to doubling of
the charge for sick seamen paid by the Port Commissioners. This is, I think,
evidence of the continued and increasing popularity of the paying wards.
66. The Campbell Hospital —had a daily average of 51.84 in and 98.09
Rs.
A. P.
Medical officers ...
...
12 11 5
Compounders, &c.
...
41 6 0
Servants
...
...
171 7 9
Bazar medicines ...
...
31 15 5
European medicines . . .
... 1,835 8 0
Diet
. . .
... 3,464 6 1
Building and repairs
...
979 11 4
Total
... 6,537 2 0
out-patients more than in 1892. This led
to increased expenditure under the heads
noticed in the margin, the excess being
reduced to Rs. 4,169-9-6 by a decrease of
Rs. 2,367-8-6 in miscellaneous charges.
As the contribution of the Calcutta Muni-
cipality is a fixed sum of Rs. 30,000, Govern-
ment had to bear the brunt of the increase,
and paid Rs. 5,691-15-11 more than in 1892.
Servants' wages were added to by compensation for dearness of provisions
and some extra attendants for small-pox cases. The increase for buildings
and repairs was caused by the erection of a temporary shed required to
prevent overcrowding. The decrease in miscellaneous charges was chiefly
caused by diminished expenditure for clothing, which cost Rs. 2,695-5-3,
as compared with an annual average of Rs. 4,155-12-0 in the last five
years. Rupees 54-9-6 was received as interest, Rs. 600 as subscriptions from
His Highness the Maharaja of Gwalior and Raokrishna of Gwalior,
Rs. 942-3-11 as value of articles returned to store or sold, and Rs. 1,808
from emigration depôts in payment for sick coolies sent from them. This
was Rs. 1,579-6-0 less than in 1892. Rupees 500 were invested in 4 per cent.