22

REPORT OF THE

Dispensary for
   women and chil-
  dren.

Dispensary for Women and Children.

      The cases treated were 12,049, against 10,982, 9,703, 11,232, 12,274, and 8,975 in
the five preceding years.

      The minor operations were 229, against 376, 389, 362, and 540 in the previous
four years.

Ophthalmic Dis-
  pensary.

Dental Dispensary.

Dental Dispensary.

      The number of patients treated was 1,184, against 1,261 in 1870, and 1,346, and 1,403
in the years 1869 and 1868 respectively.

      The number of operations performed were 1,285.

Total of dispen-
   sary practice.

      Taking the sum (or yearly total) of the dispensary practice, the following table
exhibits the relief afforded to poor patients during the past five years:—

Resident Surgeon.

      The duties of Resident Surgeon were performed by Assistant Surgeon Edwin Sanders
up to the 27th of May, when Sub-Assistant Surgeon Ishan Chunder Roy relieved him.
The present incumbent, Dr. MacConnell, joined on the 13th of October last. These young
officers performed their works with great efficiency.

Resident Physi-
   cian.

      A Resident Physician has been appointed, but his services have not yet become
available.

Training midwives.

      A report by Dr. Charles upon the further progress of the experiment of training
native midwives in our obstetric wards is annexed. I do not think that the result effected-
the attainment by about half of the women taught of a fair amount of superficial know-
ledge, unaccompanied by any practical efficiency as midwives—is by any means such as to
counterbalance the most discouraging fact that one-third of their number have gone astray.

Financial.

Finances.

      The daily rates of dieting European and Native sick were on the 22nd February 1871
raised from 8 annas 10 pie and 4 annas to 12 annas and 6 annas respectively. These rates
were brought into operation on the 1st of April.

Dieting.

      Upon European diets we have at the end of the year a clear saving of Rs. 5,223-2-9.
When the new rates were commenced upon, the number of cases of low forms of disease
treated was so large that the allowance of 6 annas was insufficient to cover the cost
of Native diets. At the end of the year, however, our saving upon Native diets was
Rs. 634-11-10. We have thus saved a total of Rs. 5,857-14-7 upon our estimated expenditure
for diets.

Contingencies.

      On the other hand we have exceeded our allowances on contingencies, Rs. 35-12-10,
and on dispensaries, Rs. 92-14-11. I solicit a special grant for the payment of these small
sums out of the above saving of Rs. 5,857-14-7 on dieting.