M 58
This shows that 53.7% of patients preferred Western and 46.3% Eastern medicine.
These figures compare with:---
Western Eastern in 1918 54.2 45.8 in 1917 55.1 44.9 in 1916 50.7 49.3 in 1915 52.3 47.7 in 1914 38.58 61.42 in 1913 34.63 65.37 in 1912 36.8 63.2 in 1911 31.4 68.6Death-rates.
Disease Deaths under Eastern treatment Deaths under Western treatment Diphtheria, Malaria, Syphilis, Cerebro-spinal Meningitis, 1,172=36·1% 731=19·8%A.--Diseases for which there is a specific remedy:-
Western Eastern No. of cases Death-rate percentage No. of cases Death-rate percentage 3 66 8 10 121 10 86 44 74 2 33 27 89 35 38 92B.-Diseases for which, at present, there is no specific remedy:--
Western Eastern Lobar pneumonia,.. 46 20 12 40 Influenza, 251 58 288 39 Pulmonary phthisis, 281 368 22 43It will be seen that Western medicine, as judged by mortality is as 11:27 compared with Eastern medicine where there is a specific remedy known, and as 7:10 where a specific remedy is not known.
It is of interest to note that these figures are almost exactly the same as last year.
OUT-PATIENT DEPARTMENT.
Eastern treatment (new and old cases) 119,322
Western " 20,949
Approximately 84% of the out-patients received Eastern treatment. This has been the proportion for several years past and it is highly improbable that the proportion will seriously change till an increase of staff and general equipment is obtained.
REMARKS ON SPECIAL DISEASES.
Beri-beri. In all 870 cases were treated with 296 deaths, i.e., 34%. In 1918 there were 904 cases with a death-rate of 43.03%. During the year a certain number of selected cases were placed on marmite, a yeast extract which is stated to contain a high vitamine percentage. The result cannot be described as wholly satisfactory but the substance, which is pleasant to taste, was greatly appreciated.