Report of the Principal Civil Medical Officer and Inspector-General of Hospitals / [Ceylon].

  • Ceylon. Civil Medical Department.
Date:
[1913]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Principal Civil Medical Officer and Inspector-General of Hospitals / [Ceylon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Diseases. Enteric fever Do. Do. Do. Appendicitis Do. Do. Do. Cases. Deaths. Year. 108 44 1900 357 110 1909 416 92 1911-12 271 69 1912-13 (18 months) 7 3 1900 31 4 1909 56 3 1911-12 95 7 1912-13 (18 months) 3,239 surgical operations were performed, with 33 deaths, a mortality of T01 per cent. Of these, 356 were performed in the paying section. Overcrowding has been most marked in the female diarrhoea ward, but has also been constant in the male ulcer and venereal wards. Arrangements have been made to begin rebuilding the whole pauper section of the hospital. For this a plot of land between the hospital and the eye hospital has been acquired, and on this six wards are in process of erection to relieve the particular wards rebuilt from time to time. Modern sanitary fittings have been provided in the European sisters’ and the Ceylonese nurses’ quarters, and this is also in process in the paying ward block. Drainage in the pauper section is now connected directly with the Municipal sewers. The receipts in the pauper section amounted to Rs. 3,719, and the expenditure (including wages of attendants and ward servants, but not of the medical staff, religious sisters, cost of drugs, and dressings) Rs. 182,436. The receipts in the paying section were Rs. 102,729, and the expenditure Rs. 68,335, including and excluding the same items as in the pauper section. 42. Houses of Observation for Suspected Lunatics.—In addition to the admissions to the house of observation at the Colombo Lunatic Asylum, the numbers admitted into those at Kandy, Galle, and Jaffna were 90, 88, and 10, respectively. 43. Be Soysa Lying-in Home.—The total number of patients treated in the eighteen months period was 1,915, of which 1,799 were discharged cured, 45 were transferred to other hospitals for the treatment of intercurrent disorders, 21 remained at the end of the period, and 50 died (2-6 per cent.). Of the total admissions, 1,502 were admitted before delivery, 75 after, and 338 before the commencement of labour. Of the 50 deaths, 29 were due to accidents of childbirth, 6 to puerperal causes, and 15 to non-puerperal causes. 32 cases were complicated with anchylostomiasis, and of these 5 died. 329 obstetric operations were performed. 37 Muhammadans were , amongst those treated, and the total infantile mortality was 3 ‘86 per cent. 28 pupil midwives qualified themselves. 44. The Lady Havelock Hospital for Women and the Lady Ridgeway Block for Children.—During the period under review the total number of cases treated in the Lady Havelock Hospital was 1,108, with 97 deaths, a mortality rate of 8’75. 247 surgical operations were performed, an increase of 136 on the previous twelve months. 38 paying patients were admitted. The popularity of this institution is so great that the wards are continually overcrowded. In the Lady Ridgeway block 1,056 patients were treated, 231 of whom died, a mortality rate of. 21'87, a slightly lower rate than the 23 ‘4 of the period covering the last report. The wards are continuously overcrowded, and children are only brought in many cases by parents in a moribund condition and die within 48 hours of admission. The chief diseases treated were anchylostomiasis (122 cases), malarial fever (76), dysentery (50 with 28 deaths), and pneumonia (58 cases with 34 deaths). Fifty surgical operations were performed. Both institutions had kitchens fly-proofed, electric fans installed in the Lady Havelock, and other improvements effected. 45. The Victoria Memorial Eye Hospital and Grenier Outdoor Dispensary.—At the dispensary 15,470 patients, involving 38,135 visits, were treated. Of these, 14,201 were eye cases, and 1,269 ear, throat, and nose. This is again a large increase, as the calendar year 1913 gives the total number of cases as 10,277, while the yearly period (1911-12) covering the last report showed 9,784. At the Victoria Memorial Eye Hospital 1,460 in-patients were treated, with 2 deaths. 950 operations were performed during the period. The indoor accommodation was relieved somewhat by the opening of a new ward in November, 1913, by His Excellency the Acting Governor. An Eye Institute at Galle is now open, and one at Kandy nearing completion will still further relieve the strain on this popular institution. These are the gifts of Mr. Walter de Soysa. 46. Police Hospital, Colombo.—1,806 patients were treated during the period, with 1 death from a disease of the nervous system. 8,629 patients were treated at the outdoor dispensary, of which 1,704 were malarial fever and 416 dysentery and diarrhoea. 47. Branch Hospitals for Women.—At Colombo 684 cases of venereal disease were treated, with 1 death. At Galle 131 were treated, with no deaths. At the female outdoor dispensary at Borella 44,963 patients attended, of whom 4,569 were Muhammadan and 4,764 were children. Malarial fever (2,497 cases), dysentery and diarrhoea (755 cases), diseases peculiar to women (874 cases), and anchylostomiasis (582 cases) were the principal diseases from which they suffered. 197 minor operations were performed. 48. Jail Hospitals and Sick Prisoners.—During the eighteen months period 14,427 convicted and 9,395 unconvicted prisoners were admitted into the different jails of the Island. The average daily strength of convicted and unconvicted prisoners was 3,346-02. The number treated in jail hospitals was 4,158 ; the total number of deaths was 138. The following table shows the number of admissions, number of deaths, average strength, and death-rate to admissions to jail hospitals during the past six years :— Year. Admissions to Hospitals. Number of Deaths. Average Daily Strength. Death-rate Per Cent, to Admissions. 1907 5,617 113 3,334-88 201 1908 5,667 205 3,371-97 3-61 1909 8,319 346 3,348-21 4-15 1910-11 9,829 350 3,108-12 3-56 1911-12 4,726 268 2,998-24 3-69 1912-13 (18 months.) 4,158 146 3,346-02 3-3