8

REPORT ON THE

Prevalence of
malarious diseases.

   25. Similarly as in 1874, it is seen that intermittent and remittent fevers, and their
sequelæ, viz., spleen diseases, debility, anæmia, and dropsy, were prevalent, and formed 31.43
per cent. of the total number of the diseases of in-door patients. After these, in order
of frequency, came dysentery, diarrhœa, cholera, liver diseases, bronchitis, pneumonia,
syphilis, phthisis, small-pox, &c., &c.

Bowel complaints,
&c.

   Bowel complaints were more prevalent than in 1874, as were also diseases of the
lungs, cholera, and small-pox.

Small-pox
in creased.

   There has been an increase in the number of small-pox cases by 157, and a decrease
in the number of in-door syphilitic cases by 27.

Typhoid fever.

Syphilis.

   26. It is worthy of remark that 69 per cent. of the cases of typhoid fever treated
were Europeans, and that the disease was met with only in the Medical College Hospital
and the Presidency General and Mayo Hospitals. Of the syphilitic cases 24 per cent.,
and of those of phthisis 35 per cent., occurred amongst Europeans.

Dengue fever.

   One case of dengue fever was treated, which had a fatal termination.

Mortality.

   27. The following diseases, in order of frequency, caused the greatest mortality, and
account for 2,612 deaths of the total of 3,815:—

   The mortality from these diseases (dysentery and debility excepted) was higher than
in 1874.

Mortality from
small-pox.

   There was a marked increase in the deaths from small-pox, 80 against 17 in 1874,
and the mortality from it was at the rate of 372.09 per mile of total treated.

   The total mortality of 1875 (as already stated under paragraph 16) was 3,815, or
at the rate of 167.20 per mile of total number in-door patients treated.

Mortality
according to
municipal returns.

   28. Statement No. VII exhibits the mortality during 1875, as taken from the muni-
cipal returns, from fevers, dysentery, cholera, diarrhœa, and small-pox:—

   It will be noticed that there is a very general agreement between the hospital and
municipal statistics. According to those of the latter, the mortality from fevers during
1875 was 1,163 in excess of the average mortality of the preceding nine years under
the same heading; that from dysentery, although higher than it has been in any year since
1870, was below the average of the preceding nine years; while that from cholera has been
considerably higher than in any year since 1870, though it was 791 below the average of the
preceding nine years. The mortality from diarrhœa has been higher than in any year since
1868, and was 161 above the average of the nine preceding years; while that from small-pox
is shown to have increased to a serious extent, being fully twelve times greater than the
average mortality of the past nine years.

Beneficial influence
of thorough
drainage and of a
pure water-supply.

   29. These statistics, I think, bear out the remarks I offered in paragraphs 21 and 22 as
to the influence exerted by thorough drainage and a pure water-supply in diminishing
cholera, and show that cholera has decreased in Calcutta since the drainage was improved
and pure drinking-water was introduced—the result which à priori might reasonably have
been looked for. The happy effects already secured from thorough drainage and a pure
water-supply should prove an incitement to carry out all sanitary measures (which fortunately
now-a-days have become thoroughly appreciated) to the fullest extent.