REPORT ON THE CALCUTTA LOCK HOSPITALS

For the year 1873.

     I HAVE the honor of reporting on the operation of Act XIV of 1868 in the town and
suburbs of Calcutta during the year 1873.

    2.     It would be in strict accordance with rule if I confined myself to statements concern-
ing the management of the Lock Hospitals only, reserving all information respecting the
health of the town under the Act for my report to government through the commissioner of
police It seems to me, however, that the effect of the work on the town, that is, the manner
in which the object of the Act is effected, is a question of much departmental interest, and
both in your office and that of the surgeon-general a full report will be acceptable. I make
the present paper therefore as complete as that submitted to government through the
commissioner of police.

    3.     In the month of November orders were received to vacate the Sealdah Lock Hos-
pital by transferring all native patients to Alipore and providing other accommodation for
Europeans and Eurasians, and about the same time the resident medical officer at Bow
Bazar resigned his appointment The examining depôt at Bow Bazar was placed under
the charge of the medical officer at Sealdah in addition to his own duties, and a considerable
money saving was effected.

Transfer of
patients from the
Sealdah to the
Alipore Hospital.

    4.      The figures in table I show a reduction of 327 in the number of registered women
during the year. They have fallen from 6,782 to 6,455. The proportion of those who,
remaining on the list, have evaded examination, has been somewhat smaller than before, as
shown in the column of defaulters reported. The new registrations, as reported in the police
returns, have been nearly the same as in 1872.

Number on
register.

    5.    Home Examination.—The number who have chosen the home examination is the
same as in 1872, and insignificant. It was 39 in January and the same in December.

Home
examination.

    6.      The prevalence of disease is set forth in table II.

Amount of disease
detected.

and it presents no material differences from the figures of the previous year,—a high preva-
lence of disease detected on primary examination, an almost nominal rate among women
under regular surveillance, and a figure among defaulters that shews the consciousness of
disease to be one of the causes which lead to default. The percentage of disease among
unregistered women voluntarily resorting to the hospitals for cure has of course no arith-
metical meaning.

    7.   I returned this year to the former practice of detaining for treatment only such
women as shewed evidence of being venereally affected. There was a mean daily number
of 276 persons in hospital. The admissions were 2,617 against 2,941 in 1872, being much
increased by the non-venereal admissions of the first four months in my absence; and this,
with the large number of similar cases remaining on 1st January, renders the return fallacious
in respect of actual venereal disease as it was also in 1872. There remained at the close of
the year, 198 cases only in hospital.

    8.     The severity of syphilitic disease, as measured by mean detention in hospital, has a
less favorable appearance this year in consequence of greater discrimination between true

Detention in
hospital.

L