The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-01

period in 1853 The number OF days passed by patients
in the Hospitals above onefourh more than IN the
sss.p being an against 20
The statistics of the Hospital Department present the
following results watch IL may be satisfactory to com
pare with those Of he three preceding years. showing
the ordinary operations and constant extent OF the os
~ 1851 1852 1853 1854.
There were cared for in the
Hospital during these
years: l2.27s los7e 1921 1881
Dischgd cured CT relieved 9,7o3 seas 1o2l5 1904
Rem'pg at end of the year. ], l66 1913 liza l,349
There born in the
Hospital in the several ~
Thus i appears bat through temporary causes such
prevailing epdemics the severity OF seasons, the spe
cal condition OF emgrants when landed or their stae on
embarkaton considerable fluctuations in the mum
bers and Of mortality Of pa.icnte still the general
average remains large being from nearly II 600 70
aly 1000 IN each year 80 that sns h~pai ,sss
country, and is outnumeered by lew IN the civilized
world.
But in addition TO the amount and variety Of practice
afforded the Hospital department to The students Of
medicine and surgery the adjoining Refuge department,
is 6ed with chronic cases. serious ailments not
less professional assistance During the year. l3 sos
such there treated, thus mab ing aggregate
Of 20 667 cases Of various kinds coming under examine
ton or observation.
The consequent value Of the Wards Island establish
ment as school Of Iasdcai improvement: mas become
eagerly sough. for BY young physicians from all parts OF
the State The certificates OF having satisfactorily per-
formed term Of duty in that capacity, granted and
signed by the Commissioners and their medical board,
received In merchant and packet service and in
other empoyments among the best evidences OF pro-
f.ssiopal knowIedge and skill which young ply stefan
surgeon can produce.
The emigration Of the year 1854 was, under many
very unfavorable circumstances (stated in the begin
ming of this report and their influences and that Of the
prevailing tenceDcy to disease through the country
of severely felt in the hospital department
much larger proportion than in the preceding
year landed from shipboard in a diseased
with phthisis already seated incurably, While dy-
sentery and diarrnGa were unusually frequent, Sc
we're and fatal In June Aaa' d cholera appeared
cleansing Of the wsrds reappeared repeatedly until Oc-
tober From these and othsr causes both tue number
and the proportion Of deaths we're much enlarged IL as
however worthy Of remark showing this increase to
arise general causes, and of diseases assuming
epidemic character and not from ing peculiar to
the Wards Island establishment that the proportional
Increase OF mortality, as compared with the last year IS
than the average increase OF that in the cy Of New
York in 1854, as compared with 1858.
The surgical practice during 1854 has been extern
sive and successful. The new surgicsl wards, by
their improved comforts and ventilation, have conri-
buted much to the more rapid progress OF the ,u.
| rative part Of the practice, and the operating
room finished and put into use during the summer has
many serious Inconvenience heretofore expo
renced. The statistics Of the year show patients
under treatment, amcng which were number requir-
ing the most difficult ana delicate operations oil surgery
50 died, and ,019 were cured and discharged. This
proportion OF deaths is about two per cent, being lower
than that prevailing in the whole city Of New York.
The former annual reports OF the Commissioners pre-
sent the record of struggle with inadeq pate
and financial difficulties, from the organization
OF the commission until the summer of 1862 These diff
dcuea limited the efficiency OF the system, com oelled
the erection Of chesp and merely temporary buildings,
which IL found necessary to replace by buildings
such as 1t would have been desirable 70 cree. at first
and though these difficulties surmounted, it was
by contracting temporary debts by delay in reimbursng
the counties and by large permanent loaus on
well at the cost o. much vexaton and trouble 20
those to whom at different times conGded the ad-
| mipstration Of the Communication Fund In the 6rst
years of the commission these difficulties specially
from the intended having been redu ed more
than half BY the constitutional objection TO the Law
1S47 and consequent hgao and afterwards from the
nadequacy of the rate OF commutaon not only to pro
vide for the current expenditure Of supporting the des
for the cost OF lands and buildings which wanted
for efficient and economical adm nistraton.
from these entertainments the comm ssion IA
pidIy and It lie trusted, permanently relieved by the
act April 1858, raising the communication TO two dol
lars per head and appropraiing the additional City
the reimbursement Of the county charges in the
first instance The immediate relief thus given and the
large reduction in 1853 OF the gradually accumulate
debt of come y.ars were set forth in the last annual re
| port. The necessary expenditures Of 1854 much
raised by the high price Of all necessary articles mosi
entering into the consum pton of the a,
Wards Island and the Qlarantine by many usexpsct
ed and unusual claims upon the Commission for aid
and by the increased burthen thrown upon the Hospital
and Refuge the number CT inmates being ten per cent
larger than in 1868 whilst their average sojourn 10 the
wares was longer, the aggregate number Of days there
spent by the patients and infrm las has been shown
having risen from 92s 626 1853 to III 3ss in 1854
tn not connterbasnced by the email reduction ia
| the average OF the Marine Hospital.
The income Of the Commissions from conmuts.
pepalt ss, compromises &c, has nevertheless enabled
item meet all the ordinary and extraordinary claims
upon them to make their regular quarterly mburse
ment TO the counties in ful Tor all bills and dem snd-
then audited and ao wed (setng the county bills Ia
full 10 October 1s54) and al.o lay s27 oI3 81
in the erection OF permanent hospital sddces aud the
procuring release in fee for the land and building
Wards Island formerly held by them At a rent under
| lease.
II mentioned in last years. report tina. 500 ocC
had been repaid on account OF the principal OF the TOAD
on mortgage of Sl5JOO0 from the Mutual Life
Company, under the express understanding that should
The possible necessities OF the winter require IT, the
would be returned and the mortgage rae TO orgpa
| account.
| The unexpected necessities Of the winter al sims
when the ordinary income vas restly suspe nded com
PEELED the commissioners reluctantly 20 avail them
| Of this arrangement, and the $4,000 was dlavn in
February, 1884 and applied 20 the current eSpen
They also Obliged 10 resort 20 .m porary over
draft the Mechancs Bank, where their accounts
| Kept
spring income and 10 October the Of $4,000
paid 10 the Mutual Life Insurance reduction Of the
principal Of their mortgage Bat vies OF the possible
exgeIcies OF che approaching rinter 10 dee al
| advisable 20 procure the same stipulation az in
the previous case, to which the company literally
| scented.
This money has not yet been required and probably
will not be, at least 70 the whole amount II oopal
that the debt on mortgage - 10 train OF perms-
nent reduction II Is due to the formsr Co
under whom the debt contracted % repeat that 1.
arose from the purchase OF lands aud the erection
buildings, held and used by the comm sion in
which alone $500 600 were expended prior 10 1850
The aggregate debt due by the Commission on 1t Jan
ary 1852, inclading that on mortgage and deius.ing
cash In bank, was. ....s.,..t. s20i,4i7 81
The balance due on Let January 1858, ts,e annual
port for 1888 for i;ems) w,s......... sI4g 39l ~
he year 1884 offers the following AMI pre-
ssnts more favorable result than under tho crcum.
stances Of The year the Commissioners had au,rpatei
The amount az dcht at the close Of re year 1884 on
bond aud mortgage, $40 900 90
Unadjustsd bls % the Governors o, tie Nev