10

REPORT ON THE

     34. The facts in the above table, which have been elicited from statement No. IX, are
in general accordance with the experience of former years, but cholera is not usually
found to prevail in Calcutta to the same extent in the month of November as was the case
in 1875.

Localities from
which cholera cases
were admitted.

     35. In statement No. X are shown the places of residence of the cholera patients
admitted into the Calcutta medical institutions during 1875; and, for sake of comparison,
the residences of the patients of 1874 are also given. This record is still defective as regards
the localities from which 135 of the 778 cholera patients came, but is nevertheless useful in
pointing out the most favourite haunts of cholera.

Increase of cholera
in all city divisions
but one.

Decrease in cholera
cases brought from
shipping.

     36. During 1875 there was an increase in the number of cholera cases admitted from
all the city divisions (the 5th division excepted). This increase was marked in the 1st and 2nd
divisions, but was particularly so in the 3rd. There was a decrease in the number of cholera
cases brought from the shipping, but Prinsep's Ghât, Armenian Ghât, Hastings' Ghât, jetties,
and salt golah, furnished the greatest numbers.

Operations, major
and minor.

     37. During the year 557 major operations were performed, occasioning 87 deaths, or
at the rate of 15.61 per cent; there were also 17,080 minor operations performed. The major
operations are given in detail in Appendix No. 1.

Income and
expenditure.

     38. The total expenditure of the Calcutta medical institutions for the year 1875
amounted to Rs. 4,88,835-5-6; the total amount of income was Rs. 6,15,043-1-8.

In obedience to the orders of the Government of India in the Home Department,
forwarded to me by the Officiating Under-Secretary to the Government of Bengal under his
docket No. 2804, of the 18th September 1875, I have had a financial statement of all the
Calcutta medical institutions prepared, which will be found at the end of this report as
Appendix No. 2.

Newspapers
supplied to
hospitals.

     39. The proprietors of the Englishman, Indian Daily News, and Statesman newspapers,
have very kindly continued to supply the Presidency General Hospital with copies of their
respective papers. This boon, so liberally and considerately granted, has been duly appreciated
by the European patients in this institution.

State of the
buildings.

     40. The state of the hospital and dispensary buildings was generally good, and all
sanitary details inside them were closely attended to. In connection with the question of the
sanitary condition of the Calcutta hospitals, I am glad to observe that there has been a
decrease in the number of deaths in the Medical College Hospital ascribed to "hospitalism."
In 1875 these amounted to 8, or 25.80 per cent. of those who died after operation, but the
average of the six years ending with 1869 was 31.06 per cent.

Concluding
remarks.

     41. Having now concluded my general observations on the working of the Calcutta
medical institutions during 1875, and shown the great amount of relief which has been
afforded by them to the sick poor of Calcutta and its suburbs, I cannot close this part of
my report without remarking that I consider such satisfactory results are in a great measure
due to the ability, zeal, and humanity displayed in the discharge of their duties by the
medical staff of the several institutions; and I venture to congratulate His Honor the
Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal upon having such a body of excellent officers to carry out
his benevolent policy towards the poor and friendless of this immense population.

Statement No. X.