38

REPORT ON THE

BHOWANIPORE DISPENSARY.

History of the
dispensary.

          THIS institution was opened in 1840, for the treatment of in and out-door patients. In
1873 the in-door department was transferred to the General Hospital, where it is now known
as the Sumboo Nath Pundit Ward.

Medical officer.

          2. Assistant-Surgeon Ram Chunder Sen was in charge of the dispensary (for out-
patients only) up to the 23rd of December 1876, on which date he made it over to Assistant.
Surgeon Bany Madub Tagore; and the institution, in addition to being occasionally visited
by Dr. French, Civil Surgeon of the 24-Pergunnahs, was officially inspected by him on the
6th June and 30th December 1876.

Building.

          3. During the past year the dispensary was located in a hired house at Churrukdanga,
a place considered to be much too near to the Russapugla institution, and too far from
Bhowanipore. A new building on the northern side of the municipal tank at Bhowanipore
was constructed during the year, and will soon (the report was written in February) be ready
for occupation. The Civil-Surgeon of the 24-Pergunnahs considers the site for the new
dispensary building to be well chosen. The furniture is said to be ample for all requirements,
and to be in fair condition.

Statistics.

          4. The following statement shows the amount of relief afforded in 1876, and the same
statistics of the year 1875 are given for sake of comparison:—

Daily Average Number of Sick.

Marked decrease in
the number of new
cases.

          5. It will be noticed in the foregoing table that there was a decrease of 3,446 in the
number of new cases treated in 1876 as compared with 1875; and Dr. French considers the
reasons he assigned for the falling off of attendance at the Alipore dispensary (vide
paragraph 4 of the report of that institution) to be applicable also in the present case. It
may be worthy of record that 4.39 per cent. of the new cases were affected with intestinal
worms (the ascaris lumbricoides).

Operations.

          6. There were 17 major and 447 minor operations performed during the year; the
former consisted principally in the reduction of dislocations.

Finances.

          7. The total receipts during the year (including Rs. 261-8-9½ remaining on 1st January)
amounted to Rs. 15,268-7-4½, and the expenditure to Rs. 15,079-6-11; so that on the 31st
December there was a balance in hand to credit of the dispensary funds amounting to
Rs. 189-0-5½ The Municipality seem to have contributed Rs. 1,200 to the dispensary
funds, and Rs. 426 were received as subscriptions, &c., from Natives.

Remarks of the Deputy Surgeon­General.

          8. The Deputy Surgeon-General of the Presidency Circle visited this dispensary on
the morning of the 30th December 1876, and recorded the following remarks:—"Visited the
dispensary this morning; found the arrangements for attending to out-patients satisfactory;
medicines sufficient in quantity and properly kept. The average attendance of late has been
about 30—a considerable falling off from what it used to be at its old locality in Peepulputtee
Road. It remains to be seen what it will be in the new building, said to be nearly
ready."