378
The admissions and deaths in Hospital for the past ten years are as follows:-
Admissions.
Deaths.
1888,......
1,772
80
1889,....
1,793
77
1890,
1,957
98
1891,.....
1,867
84
1892,....
1893,
1,715
68
1.835
67
1894,
1895,...
1896,
1,963
101
2,283
114
2.598
143
2,445
119
1897,
The percentage of deaths (4.86) compares favourably with that of the previous two years, as the following will show :--
Year.
1895,. 1896,
1897,
Admissions.
Deaths.
2,283
114
2,598
143
2,445
119
LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
Percentage.
4.99
5.69
4.86
There is a slight increase in the total number of admissions as compared with the previous year, the number of deaths being less; the figures are:-
Year. 1896,.. 1897,
Admissions. 128 136
Deaths.
16
12
Six more Europeans were admitted than in the previous year. Dr. BELL, the Medical Officer in charge, has furnished a report on the working of the Asylums which is contained in Enclosure II. This is the first time such a report has appeared.
In it is mentioned that three Chinese suffering from General Paralysis of the Insane were admitted. This is an interesting fact, as it has been recorded that Chinese do not suffer from this particular form of insanity.
INFECTIOUS HOSPITALS.
KENNEDY TOWN HOSPITAL.
There were 146 admissions to this hospital during the year as follows :—
Small-pox, Plague,
Cases. 125
15
Deaths.
48
14
Of the other six, five were under observation and one was in attendance.
HOSPITAL HULK HYGEIA.”
The hospital ship was maintained during the year in a satisfactory condition.
MATERNITY HOSPITAL.
This building was handed over to this Department in April, 1897.
Since the opening of the hospital there have been 20 confinements with three deaths; the latter being Chinese who were admitted practically moribund. One infant, the daughter of an European, died from Congenital Malformation of the heart.
PUBLIC MORTUARY.
568 bodies were received at the mortuary during the year. The particulars as to nationality and cause of death are given in Table VIII.
VICTORIA GAÓL.
The following table gives the number of admissions to the Gaol and the daily average number of prisoners for the past ten years :—
1888,
1889.
1890,
1891,
1892,
1893,
1894,....
1895,
1896,
1897,
Total number admitted to Gaol.
Daily average No. of prisoners,
3,627
531.00
3,705
581.00
3,444
566.00
5,231
507.00
5,046
515.00
4,010
458.00
3,913
£5500.
5,014
472.00
5,582
514.00
5,076
462.00
These figures show a considerable diminution in the number of prisoners, 506 less being admitted than in the previous year; the daily average was 462, 42 less thau in 1896,