Triennial report on the hospitals and dispensaries in Burma.

  • Burma.
Date:
[1919]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Triennial report on the hospitals and dispensaries in Burma. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/62 (page 3)
    behind to commemorate the generosity of the donor. A subscription towards building a permanent structure, or the endowment of one or more beds in it, to be commemorated by a memorial plate let into the wall, would not only be infinitely more satisfactory from a medical poinx of view, but would commemorate the muniticience of the donor for generations. A very large amount of money must be spent annually throughout the pro¬ vince by private individuals on works intended for public use and welfare. In Meiktila alone, which is neither a large or wealthy division, this amounted to nearly three lakhs in 1919. Most of it was expended on kyaungs, a small amount on say ats for wayfarers, in all 312 works; not a single rupee, as far as I know, on hospitals. It seems a pity that some of this wealth could not be diver¬ ted into medical channels, but even if it were, the principle of co-operation must be adopted to produce any appreciable result. The individual amounts are too small to be utilized separately for building purposes, but co-operation in agricul¬ ture has been successful, so there is no reason to despair of co-operation in charity. In a few towns “ Hospital Day ” has been instituted with quite a fair amount of success, notably in Toungoo which collected Rs, 7,846, Moulmein Rs. 3,060, Shwegyin Rs. 967 and Mergui Rs. 600. It is hoped the good example of those towns will be widely followed. 4. Hospital Equipment.—Most hospitals were fairly equipped with medical and surgical requirements before war broke out, and are still reasonably provided for in that respect, though a good many of the instruments and appliances are somewhat out of date. It is exceptional for instance, to find good modern splints in a hospital and a Harcourt Inhaler for Choloroform is uncommon. This latter is probably the safest form of inhaler, and as chloroform is frequently, of neces¬ sity, given by some one who cannot be described as a skilled anaesthetist, the use of a safe method of administering the gas, is most desirable, not only from the patients' point of view but because it relieves the operating surgeon of a great deal of anxiety. There must be an enormous amount of medical and surgical equipment avail¬ able in England, due to the demobilization of a large number of war hospitals and it would be an excellent thing if some of this could be procured to improve the equipment of Indian hospitals. Bedding and clothing is very deficient in most hospitals. Stocks which gradually become unserviceable could not be replaced, either because they were unobtainable, or because their price wras prohibitive. A large sum will be required to bring this portion of hospital equipment up to the necessary standard. 5. A comparison of grand totals of all classes returned as having received medical relief at the hospitals and dispensaries coming under the cognizance of Government during each year of the triennium under review, as compared »with the total numbers returned for the preceding triennium is given below :— Year In-door. Out-door. Total treated. 1917 1918 1919 86,569 98,101 100,693 2,017.498 2,008,146 1,945.936 2,104,067 2,106,247 2,046,629 Total for r 917—19 285,363 5>97i,5So 6,256,943 Total for 1914—16 249,87° 5.809,554 6.059,424 Increase 35-493 ‘ 162,0*6 197.519 The total treated has shown a satisfactory increase in 1917—19 in spite of adverse circumstances. This increase took place in the early part of the trien¬ nium ; there has been a falling off in 1919. The ratio per cent, of total treated to the population was 16*89 for 1919 against 17‘39 for 1918 and 17*37 f°r *9*7. The total number of beds at the end of 1916 was 6,324 ; 5,134 for males and 1,190 for females. At the end of 1919 the total number of beds had increased to 6,452 j 5,247 for males and 1,205 for females—an increase of 128. Statements B, L) (1) and D (ii).