16

REPORT ON THE

arrangement that could have been made under the circumstances. I am still, however, of
opinion that the charge of the Presidency Jail is too onerous an additional duty for the Second
Assistant Surgeon of the hospital, though I am aware that no change can be made for the
present.

Transfer to the
   Civil Depart-
   ment.

      31. The transfer of the hospital to the Civil Department was rendered complete by
the building being from the 1st of April made over to the civil authorities, and since then
the hospital furniture has been similarly dealt with. The institution is now in every parti-
cular administered and treated as a civil hospital.

Medical aid for
   destitute Euro-
   peans.

      32. A question arose during the year regarding the provision of medical aid and treat-
ment for destitute Europeans. As far as Calcutta is concerned, the General and Medical
College Hospitals leave nothing to be desired in this respect. The rules under which patients
are admitted into the former of these hospitals are placed in the appendix.

CALCUTTA HOSPITAL NURSES' INSTITUTION.

      33. THE circumstances of this most useful institution are more satisfactory than they
were represented to be in the report of 1870. The public has responded so liberally to the ap-
peal for aid that the year closed with a considerable surplus, and an addition to the staff of
nurses was contemplated. The testimony borne by the chief medical officers of the Medical
College and General Hospitals to the value of the services rendered by the nurses is warm:
the element of nursing has now become all over the world a necessary and indispensable
part of hospital administration. The report of the Committee of this institution is
appended.

MUNICIPAL PAUPER HOSPITAL.

The Pauper Hospi-
   tal a better index
   of the salubrity
   of Calcutta than
   the others.

      34. THIS hospital is a better index of the salubrity of the town than all the others
put together, because it receives all-comers, and is also the receptacle of cases which are
rejected from other hospitals, because they offer no hope of successful treatment or cannot
be accommodated. The following statement gives a synopsis of the statistics of this hospital
since its opening. The reduction of the death-rate is marked and satisfactory, and can be
explained in no other way than by the greater healthiness of Calcutta.

STATEMENT No. XIII.

Improvements.

      35. Considerable improvements have been effected in the latrine arrangements,
and the municipal water has been supplied for the use of the patients. Some improve-
ments in the floor of the hospital and in the state of the surface drains are needed, and
I would recommend that the municipality be moved to effect the necessary repairs without
delay.