16

REPORT ON THE

SOOKEAS' STREET DISPENSARY.

Circumstances of
original founda-
tion.

    38. This institution was founded in 1849. Its original purpose was to
test the alleged anæsthetic effects of mesmerism, and Surgeon Eisdale, who
strongly maintained the efficacy of the practice as a means of procuring painless
surgery, was appointed its first Superintendent. During the year under report,
the dispensary was under the executive charge of 2nd grade Sub-Assistant
Surgeon Money Lall Dutt, L. M. S., and the superintendence of Surgeon W. J.
Palmer. M.D.

Statistics

STATEMENT No. XVI.

     39.  A great number of natives resort to this dispensary for relief, and
the figures given in Statement No. 1, as well as
those on the margin,show that the number
treated was higher than in 1871. The number of
surgical operations performed in this dispensary
is small, but the accommodation is very limited.
The Sub-Assistant Surgeon in his report, extracts
from which are given in the Appendix, describes
the great prevalance of dengue and of malarious
fever towards the close of the year.

Finances.

     40.   The expenses of the hospital amounted to Rs. 6,106, against Rs. 5,535
in 1871. The whole of this money is obtained from Government, and about
one-half of it goes to defray the cost of establishment. A small reduction
was made during the year in the staff, and pay of compounders, and this was made
available for dieting patients. Rs. 403 were expended in dieting patients
against Rs. 309 in 1871.

Building.

     41.      The building is about to undergo thorough repairs, and the question
of transferring the dispensary to the governors of the Native Hospital was
under consideration at the close of the year.

NORTH SUBURBAN HOSPITAL.

Statistics.

     42.      This hospital is situated in the midst of an important and populous
suburb, and has proved, since its establishment in 1866, of great service to the
sick and injured poor of the locality. The report of the Sub-Assistant Surgeon
in charge, Baboo Luckynarain Bose, gives a full account of the transactions of
the hospital during 1872. The attendance has been larger than in 1871. The
death-rate continues very high, but is reported to be due to a class of patients
to whom it would be gross inhumanity to refuse admission. The Sub-Assis-
tant Surgeon has applied the term moribund to patients dying within 48 instead
of 24 hours. For the sake of uniformity, the term should have the same
application in every hospital.

Finances

     43. The funds of the institution are in a prosperous state, but the net
receipts have fallen from. Rs. 11,087 to Rs. 9,300, the subscriptions of Europeans
from Rs. 2,604 to Rs. 1,500, and those of Natives from Rs. 4,372 to Rs. 2,554,
as compared with 1871. The institution is however saving money.

An out-door depart-
ment and new
building desir-
able.

      44. Dr. Saunders points out that there is room for an out-patients'
department, and I am decidedly of opinion that the hospital should be made
available for the treatment of out-door patients at once. No increase of
establishment is necessary for this purpose. The Sub-Assistant Surgeon has
already got a native doctor to assist him. I would recommend that Govern-
ment should press on the hospital committee, the importance of organizing an
out-patients' department. The provision of a new building is also urgently
necessary.