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REPORT ON THE CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.

       The aggregate sickness and mortality in the European and Native departments (in-door
and out-door) during the past, as compared with the nine preceding years, are shown in the
subjoined statement:—

Statistics of Euro
pean and Native
patients for the
10 years 1864-73.

Moribund ward.

        The number of in-patients treated during the past year is greater than that of the
preceding year, the European being 597 in 1872, as against 665 in 1873, and the Native being
586 in the former year, against 828 in the latter. The increase in the number of Native
in-patients is attributable to a ward in the jail having been used as a moribund ward, as by
this arrangement the number of Native beds has been increased from 25 to 37 or 38. The
increase in the number of Native out-patients is, I think, mainly attributable to a free use of
Europe medicines, but in some degree also to the sub-assistant surgeon having more time to
attend to the Native out-door dispensary. In the early part of this year his time was a good
deal occupied in the European wards, while in the latter months it has been given exclusively
to the Native department.

        The increase in the number of European in-patients is chiefly due to the connection
between the hospital and shipping having been partially restored. Some years ago a number
of sick seamen used to be admitted from the Sailors' Home. In late years, however, the Home
has sent its sick to the Presidency General Hospital, notwithstanding that this hospital is
much nearer, and quite as easily got at.

        I incline to think that for some years to come the number of European in-patients will
decrease rather than increase, and this for the reason that the European population near the
hospital is decreasing. The number of European residents in Howrah, and the number of
seamen resident in the port, are both less than they used to be some years ago.

Death-rate.

        The death-rate amongst European in-patients during the past year has been unusually
low, viz. 40.06 per mille; on the other hand, the death-rate amongst Native in-patients has
been, as shown in the records, unusually large. This increase, however, is more apparent than
real, inasmuch as the moribund deaths are included in the general mortuary return. 64
moribunds were admitted in this year; and if this number had been subtracted from the
general death list, the death-rate amongst Native in-patients would then have stood at 195.65
per mile. It is to be remarked that in the return for 1873 moribunds have been included
in the general return for the first time.

European out-
patients.

        With reference to the attendance of Europeans in the out-door dispensary, it ought to be
remarked that the register in which their visits are entered does not distinguish with
sufficient exactness between new and old patients, and on the whole that, as a consequence of
this, the number of new European out-patients treated during the year it is thought, is shown
to be greater than it really was. Measures are being taken to have this defect corrected.

Causes of death
among European
patients.

        The causes of death amongst European patients during the year 1873 are shown in the
subjoined table:—

* Includes 5 choleraic diarrhœa, and 2 simple cholera.