22

REPORT ON THE CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.

Dysentery and
diarrhœa.

Sickness and
mortality from
cholera during the
years 1866-73.

Statement of the admissions and death-rates from cholera since 1866.

       The above statistics show that While tile prevalence of cholera in Calcutta has become
considerably reduced of late years, the deadliness of its character is by no means diminished.
It is not improbable that the less frequency of the disease is due to improved sanitation,
principally sewage and water-supply; but it would be premature to declare that this is the
case until it can be shewn that the prevalence of cholera in the surrounding district has not
been proportionately diminished during the last three years.

Vital statistics
according to race
and sex.

VITAL STATISTICS ACCORDING TO RACE AND SEX.

SURGICAL OPERATIONS.

Surgical operations.

Statistics of the
year.

Death-rate.

      The number of surgical operations which remained at the end of 1872 was 23, and 170
operations of importance were performed during the year under report: we have thus a
total of 193 operations. But as eight of these operations were performed on four individuals,
second operations having been rendered necessary by the exigencies of their cases, the total
number of cases was only 189. Of these, 109 recovered, 4 were discharged relieved, 1
unrelieved, 49 died, and 26 remained under treatment. These figures give a death-rate of
259.2 per thousand, or a little more than a fourth of the whole number. The corresponding
numbers for the previous years were 170.61 in 1872, 155.77 in 1871, 207.08 in 1870, 200 in
1869, and 133.08 in 1868.

      But of the above number of cases (189), only 163 were treated to a termination (and it
is only among such that a comparison of the mortality of different years can be instituted
with accuracy). Amongst these the proportion of deaths was 300.6 per thousand. This is a
higher death-rate than has been recorded since 1863.

Statistics of the
years 1863-73.

Surgical Operations for 11 years—cases treated to a termination.