The deaths among the
That is to say that the deaths in Hospital are less than 2.50 whole European population of the Colony is 2.49 per cent.
per cent. This would indicate that the cases in Hospital must be of a simple nature. I know of no General Hospital anywhere else showing such a small percentage of deaths to admissions, and this at any rate is no proof of the unfitness of the Buildings now in use, as a general hospital, a purpose for which they were never intended, but rather that they have been excellent makeshifts. So far from the lower wards not being airy, and being interfered with by the position of the new Lock as the Superintendent states, Dr. BLENNERHASSETT, his locum tenens, was observing the other day how cool and airy these wards were, although the day was exceptionally hot and close.
The increase in the cost of this establishment has been considerable, one item only, the staff which in 1873, when the Superintendent took charge, cost $2,920 now cost $7,824, and is still reported as being insufficient.
The paying patients exclusive of Police and seamen sent by the Harbour Master brought in 1873 $2,440.08, in 1880 $3,441.93, or just $1,001.85 more, which is a long way from paying for the increase of Staff. Certainly the Staff required much improvement, but I do not now see the necessity for the incessant grumbles concerning its insufficiency.
Only one operation is reported in Table V, amputation of the toe. The operation referred to for stone in the Superintendent's report was performed this year and will appear in the Tables for 1881.
A valuable addition was made to the Staff of the Hospital in 1879 in the appointment of Mr. H. MCCALLUM, as Apothecary and Government Analyst. I have much pleasure in expressing my satisfaction with the efficient and obliging manner in which he has performed his duties. Though he has had good grounds for complaint in his capacity as analyst in the want of a Laboratory for which there is no place suitable in the building at present used as a Hospital.
SMALL POX HOSPITAL.
The number of cases of Small-pox admitted to Hospital in 1880 was 29, an unusually large number. 27 of them were admitted in the first four months of the year, the deaths were 4. admissions for the past eight years are as follows:-
Year Small pox cases 1873, 7 1874, 6 1875, 5 1876, 18 1877, 25 1878, 7 1879, 13 1880, 29In the first four months of this year 1881, only 6 cases have been admitted, although small-pox is reported as raging in Canton. It will be seen that the demand for accommodation in this Hospital was much above the average last year. Though some of the cases were mild varioloid, and only detained a few days.
VICTORIA GAOL.
There have been fewer admissions to the Gaol than last year, but the daily average number remains much the same as the following figures demonstrate.
Year Total number of prisoners admitted to Gaol Daily average number of prisoners 1873, .... 4,656 388 1874, 3,645 350.04 1875, 4,023 374.06 1876, 4,063 432.60 1877, 3,964 395.22 1878, 3,803 519.22 1879, 3,669 576.13 1880, 3,530 574.25These figures demonstrate that although the total admissions show a decrease as compared with past years, the daily average number in Gaol has increased considerably. So also has the number of sick whereas in 1873 only 148 were admitted into the Gaol Hospital, the number in 1880 has risen to 316, and this is less by 48 than were admitted in 1879.
The dry earth system, though a great improvement, is very difficult to manage so as to get as much benefit as might be obtained even with the inferior description of dry earth used, which is composed of disintegrated granite. The short-term prisoners cannot be made to understand the arrangement, and urinate on the dry earth side of the buckets, thus rendering it powerless as a deodorizer, which in any case it only is partially. As a disinfectant dry earth of the best description
The deaths among the
That is to say that the deaths in Hospital are less than 2.50 whole European population of the Colony is 2.49 per cent.
per cent. This would indicate that the cases in Hospital must be of a simple nature. I know of no General Hospital anywhere else showing such a sinall percentage of deaths to admissions, and this at any rate is no proof of the unfitness of the Buildings now in use, as a general hospital, a purpose for which they were never intended, but rather that they have been excellent makeshifts. So far from the lower wards not being airy, and being interfered with by the position of the new Lock as the Superintendent states, Dr. BLENNERULASSETT, his locum tenens, was observing the other day how cool and airy these wards were, although the day was exceptionally hot and close.
The increase in the cost of this establishment has been considerable, one item only, the staff which in 1873, when the Superintendent took charge, cost $2,920 now cost $7,824, and is still reported as being insufficient.
The paying patients exclusive of Police and seamen sent by the Harbour Master brought in 1873 $2,440.08, in 1880 $3,441.93, or just $1,001.85 more, which is a long way from paying for the increase of Staff. Certainly the Staff required much improvement, but I do not now see the necessity for the incessant grumbles concerning its insufficiency.
Only one operation is reported in Table V, amputation of the toe. The operation refered to for stone in the Superintendent's report was performed this year and will appear in the Tables for 1881.
A valuable addition was made to the Staff of the Hospital in 1879 in the appointment of Mr. H. MCCALLUM, as Apothecary and Government Analyst. I have much pleasure in expressing my satisfaction with the efficient and obliging manner in which he has performed his duties. Though he has had good grounds for complaint in his capacity as analyst in the want of a Laboratory for which there is no place suitable in the building at present used as a Hospital.
SMALL POX HOSPITAL.
The number of cases of Small-pox admitted to Hospital in 1880 was 29, an unusually large number. 27 of them were admitted in the first four months of the year, the deaths were 4. admissions for the past eight years are as follows:-
The
Year.
1873,
1874,
1875,
1876,
1877,
Small
pox cases.
7
6
5
18
25
7
1878,
18 9, 1880,
13
29
In the first four months of this year 1881, only 6 cases have been admitted, although small-pox is reported as raging in Canton. It will be seen that the demand for accommodation in this Hospital was much above the average last year. Though some of the cases were mild varioloid, and only detained a few days.
VICTORIA GAOL.
There have been fewer admissions to the Gaol than last year, but the daily average number remains much the same as the following figures demonstrate.
Year.
1873,
1874,
1875,
1876,
1877,
1878,
1879, 1880,
Total number of prisoners admitted to Gaol.
.... 4,656
Daily average number of prisoners.
388
3,645
350.04
4,023
374.06
4,063
432.60
3,964
395.22
3,803
519.22
3,669
576.13
3,530
574.25
These figures demonstrate that although the total admissions show a decrease as compared with past years, the daily average number in Gaol has increased considerably. So also has the number of sick whereas in 1873 only 148 were admitted into the Gaol Hospital, the number in 1880 has risen to 316, and this is less by 48 than were admitted in 1879.
The dry earth system, though a great improvement, is very difficult to manage so as to get as much benefit as might be obtained even with the inferior description of dry earth used, which is composed of disintegrated granite. The short-term prisoners cannot be made to understand the arrangement, and urinate on the dry earth side of the buckets, thus rendering it powerless as a decodorizer, which in any case it only is partially. As a disinfectant dry earth of the best description
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