be attended by ignorant mid wives. The percentage of natural deaths is also extremely small, only one per cent.; what it is outside this
much
Judical PARSEE LYING-IN HOSPITAL.
report of this hospital which was through the exertions of the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. J. B. Larnian, was read by him before the Bombay Medical and Physical with the Society in August last. It was founded
The first built chiefly
of placing Parsee women at the time of more favourable circumstances than under labour It is can obtain in their own houses. they benevolent of certain supported by the charity Parsee gentlemen, and partly by the fees paid by been patients under treatment. It tohas always women the Parsees relegate the custom among durino' the menstrual period and at confinement the surroundto the ground floor of the house, at all events among the poorer of which, ings and dangerous to women people, are insanitary the Parsees have become That times. at such alive to these facts and to the advantages of skilled attendance is shewn by the number of availed themselves women of all classes who have
object
of the
lying-in hospital.
Looking
at the number of
women
delivered
at
is struck with the small perthis hospital labours. Taking the head unnatural of centage the natural one, of 762 cases only as position 38 were instrumental, 31 requiring forceps only ; turning, four; craniotomy, three; and symphIt is generally allowed that siotomy, one case. labour among the Parsees is usually easy, and this is borne out by the above statistics. The number of still-born children is also considerably lower than the average in the Parsee that is, 4 as compared with 7 per cent., and this to the fact that more careful may be attributed nurses will often save a skilled by management life which might otherwise easily be lost, especialas in their own houses mothers are likely to one
communit}*,
ly
cannot say, but without
doubt it is There were three deaths from septic causes which were all attended by the who was an European woman. same nurse, In spite of precautions after the first case it appears that this nurse must have infected the others, but how is not clear. It is important to remember in such cases that a nurse may be herself a source of contagion to a lying-in patient, if she be suffering from a discharge from the nose or ears, a fact likely to escape observation, and a personal examination of a nurse should be made under circumstances of this sort. In this instance the nurse was sent away and no further cases occurred. Twenty-four children were As before revived by artificial respiration. noted these children would outside the hospital have probably died, and they would be returned " still bornthus the saving of life at birth as may be looked upon as another point on which to congratulate the hospital staff. Nothing in this paper has been said as regards the general management of the patient, the position in which delivery usually takes place, and on the We hope on these points to use of antiseptics. have information from Dr. Larnian. Meanwhile we may congratulate him on the signal success which he has attained. He has managed to place the hospital on a firm basis in spite of many difficulties, not a few caused by dissensions among the medical staff, which were only put an end to by the prompt measures of the Parsee com-
hospital
one
larger.
munit}'. NEW
POST-MORTEM
JAMSETJEE
ROOMS
JEEJEEBHOY
AT
THE
HOSPITAL,
BOMBAY. The new post-mortem rooms and mortuaries at the Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy Hospital supply a want which has long been felt. The old room was extremely hot, being badly ventilated and situated on low ground; it became most disagreeable during a post-mortem, and constant work under such circumstances has more than once affected injuriously the health of the Pathology Professor. The new rooms are now in use; they were designed and commenced by Mr. Rebschand completed by Mr. Amadi, and have been arranged so as to suit the requirements of the Professor in every way. They consist of two blocks placed like the letter T, and are on high ground on the east side of the Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy Hospital; running north and south are the mortuaries which allow of separate accommodation for Hindus, Mahomedans and Christians. Each room is 12 feet x 12 feet and 12 feet 3 inches high ; the floors are marble, and walls made partly of fixed Venetians and partly of wire gauze, so that they are extremely cool. The roof is thoroughly well ventilated.
Jan. 1898.]
LONDON LETTER.
contains a large marble table, suffi- j cieutly large for two or three bodies to be placed on it, and also a small round marble table on which the clothes of the corpse are placed. The second block is placed at right-angles t the mortuaries and run east and west, and it has a good verandah between it and the mortuaries, and consists of a room for the Professor and the post-mortem theatre. The Professor's room is 18 feet x 18 feet and 1G feet high ; the floor is marble, and there is also a marble dado with black border running round the walls. It is fitted with a marble sink. The post-mortem theatre measures 30 feet 6 inches x 18 feet and is 1G feet high, and is of the same height as the Professor's room; the floor is marble arid the walls have also a marble dado. On the north side are four rows of seats for students, the back rows being raised so that a capital view is obtained from them of the pont-mortem table, which is of marble and is near the south wall. Between it and the seats is another marble table with weighing-scales and taps conveniently arranged, on which the organs are washed, weighed, and examined. On the east side of the room is another marble table for a subject, and on the west side are marble basins and marble sink for the students and professors to wash their hands in. There is a good light and capital ventilation. The buildings are approached by stone steps, and for the convenience of the corpsebearers, a sloping stoneway has also been constructed. Bodies are removed from the building by a road which runs behind the Hospital and which is screened by a high wall from the sight of the patients. Altogether the arrangements are most satisfactory, and reflect great credit on the Public Works Department.
Each
The
room
MANUAL OF JAIL HYGIENE.
Surgeon-Captain W. J.
Buchanan's "Manual for the use of Medical Subordinates," is in the press, and will shortly be published. It will be issued by the Bengal Secretariat Press, Calcutta.
of Jail
Hygiene,
Surgeon-Captain Fernside, the present Superintendent of the Central Jail, Rajahmundry (Madras), has recently submitted a report to Government on the prevalence of parasitic diseases on the West Coast of the Madras Presidency. He attributes much of the dysentery, which was rife in that jail before he took charge, to damage done by the ascaris luvibricoicles. He also shows that the anchylostoma cluodenale is very pi*evalent and is the cause of the cases of oedema and dropsy which had hitherto been attributed to beri-beri. In an Editorial in our December issue we referred to these cases as being doubtfully beri-beri. This emphasises the necessity of restricting that term to symptoms of multiple neuritis only.
of
Surgeon-General
27 with the Government
Bombay has been engaged in inspecting the different plague-hospitals, and in several instances
has been accompanied by H. E. Lord Sandhurst. The various hospitals are now in a very creditable state, and the Arthur's Road Hospital, which was formerly a disgrace to the city, has been much improved by proper flooring in the shape of Garlick's stone, so that it is now more like what it ouiiht to be. Surg eon-Major F. Macartie, I.M.S. (Bo.), left for Europe on 12 months' leave on the His duties have, for more 25th December. than a 37ear, been of a most arduous description, and he has conducted them in a manner most Not only has satisfactory to all concerned. he not spared himself, but he has managed to make as agreeable as possible to passengers and others the necessary examination on board the various steamers, etc., and the authorities of Bombay and the mercantile community are much indebted to him. It was proposed by the members of his Service here to entertain him at dinner as a slight recognition of the estimation in which he was held by them, but, unfortunately, all his evenings had been previously engaged. He must want a rest and change, and shall be glad to see him return much we benefited.
Surgeon.-Captain-Meyer, I.M.S., is still at engaged in plague work, the authorities
Hubli
having specially applied end of this year.
for his services until the
much
Judical PARSEE LYING-IN HOSPITAL.
report of this hospital which was through the exertions of the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. J. B. Larnian, was read by him before the Bombay Medical and Physical with the Society in August last. It was founded
The first built chiefly
of placing Parsee women at the time of more favourable circumstances than under labour It is can obtain in their own houses. they benevolent of certain supported by the charity Parsee gentlemen, and partly by the fees paid by been patients under treatment. It tohas always women the Parsees relegate the custom among durino' the menstrual period and at confinement the surroundto the ground floor of the house, at all events among the poorer of which, ings and dangerous to women people, are insanitary the Parsees have become That times. at such alive to these facts and to the advantages of skilled attendance is shewn by the number of availed themselves women of all classes who have
object
of the
lying-in hospital.
Looking
at the number of
women
delivered
at
is struck with the small perthis hospital labours. Taking the head unnatural of centage the natural one, of 762 cases only as position 38 were instrumental, 31 requiring forceps only ; turning, four; craniotomy, three; and symphIt is generally allowed that siotomy, one case. labour among the Parsees is usually easy, and this is borne out by the above statistics. The number of still-born children is also considerably lower than the average in the Parsee that is, 4 as compared with 7 per cent., and this to the fact that more careful may be attributed nurses will often save a skilled by management life which might otherwise easily be lost, especialas in their own houses mothers are likely to one
communit}*,
ly
cannot say, but without
doubt it is There were three deaths from septic causes which were all attended by the who was an European woman. same nurse, In spite of precautions after the first case it appears that this nurse must have infected the others, but how is not clear. It is important to remember in such cases that a nurse may be herself a source of contagion to a lying-in patient, if she be suffering from a discharge from the nose or ears, a fact likely to escape observation, and a personal examination of a nurse should be made under circumstances of this sort. In this instance the nurse was sent away and no further cases occurred. Twenty-four children were As before revived by artificial respiration. noted these children would outside the hospital have probably died, and they would be returned " still bornthus the saving of life at birth as may be looked upon as another point on which to congratulate the hospital staff. Nothing in this paper has been said as regards the general management of the patient, the position in which delivery usually takes place, and on the We hope on these points to use of antiseptics. have information from Dr. Larnian. Meanwhile we may congratulate him on the signal success which he has attained. He has managed to place the hospital on a firm basis in spite of many difficulties, not a few caused by dissensions among the medical staff, which were only put an end to by the prompt measures of the Parsee com-
hospital
one
larger.
munit}'. NEW
POST-MORTEM
JAMSETJEE
ROOMS
JEEJEEBHOY
AT
THE
HOSPITAL,
BOMBAY. The new post-mortem rooms and mortuaries at the Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy Hospital supply a want which has long been felt. The old room was extremely hot, being badly ventilated and situated on low ground; it became most disagreeable during a post-mortem, and constant work under such circumstances has more than once affected injuriously the health of the Pathology Professor. The new rooms are now in use; they were designed and commenced by Mr. Rebschand completed by Mr. Amadi, and have been arranged so as to suit the requirements of the Professor in every way. They consist of two blocks placed like the letter T, and are on high ground on the east side of the Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy Hospital; running north and south are the mortuaries which allow of separate accommodation for Hindus, Mahomedans and Christians. Each room is 12 feet x 12 feet and 12 feet 3 inches high ; the floors are marble, and walls made partly of fixed Venetians and partly of wire gauze, so that they are extremely cool. The roof is thoroughly well ventilated.
Jan. 1898.]
LONDON LETTER.
contains a large marble table, suffi- j cieutly large for two or three bodies to be placed on it, and also a small round marble table on which the clothes of the corpse are placed. The second block is placed at right-angles t the mortuaries and run east and west, and it has a good verandah between it and the mortuaries, and consists of a room for the Professor and the post-mortem theatre. The Professor's room is 18 feet x 18 feet and 1G feet high ; the floor is marble, and there is also a marble dado with black border running round the walls. It is fitted with a marble sink. The post-mortem theatre measures 30 feet 6 inches x 18 feet and is 1G feet high, and is of the same height as the Professor's room; the floor is marble arid the walls have also a marble dado. On the north side are four rows of seats for students, the back rows being raised so that a capital view is obtained from them of the pont-mortem table, which is of marble and is near the south wall. Between it and the seats is another marble table with weighing-scales and taps conveniently arranged, on which the organs are washed, weighed, and examined. On the east side of the room is another marble table for a subject, and on the west side are marble basins and marble sink for the students and professors to wash their hands in. There is a good light and capital ventilation. The buildings are approached by stone steps, and for the convenience of the corpsebearers, a sloping stoneway has also been constructed. Bodies are removed from the building by a road which runs behind the Hospital and which is screened by a high wall from the sight of the patients. Altogether the arrangements are most satisfactory, and reflect great credit on the Public Works Department.
Each
The
room
MANUAL OF JAIL HYGIENE.
Surgeon-Captain W. J.
Buchanan's "Manual for the use of Medical Subordinates," is in the press, and will shortly be published. It will be issued by the Bengal Secretariat Press, Calcutta.
of Jail
Hygiene,
Surgeon-Captain Fernside, the present Superintendent of the Central Jail, Rajahmundry (Madras), has recently submitted a report to Government on the prevalence of parasitic diseases on the West Coast of the Madras Presidency. He attributes much of the dysentery, which was rife in that jail before he took charge, to damage done by the ascaris luvibricoicles. He also shows that the anchylostoma cluodenale is very pi*evalent and is the cause of the cases of oedema and dropsy which had hitherto been attributed to beri-beri. In an Editorial in our December issue we referred to these cases as being doubtfully beri-beri. This emphasises the necessity of restricting that term to symptoms of multiple neuritis only.
of
Surgeon-General
27 with the Government
Bombay has been engaged in inspecting the different plague-hospitals, and in several instances
has been accompanied by H. E. Lord Sandhurst. The various hospitals are now in a very creditable state, and the Arthur's Road Hospital, which was formerly a disgrace to the city, has been much improved by proper flooring in the shape of Garlick's stone, so that it is now more like what it ouiiht to be. Surg eon-Major F. Macartie, I.M.S. (Bo.), left for Europe on 12 months' leave on the His duties have, for more 25th December. than a 37ear, been of a most arduous description, and he has conducted them in a manner most Not only has satisfactory to all concerned. he not spared himself, but he has managed to make as agreeable as possible to passengers and others the necessary examination on board the various steamers, etc., and the authorities of Bombay and the mercantile community are much indebted to him. It was proposed by the members of his Service here to entertain him at dinner as a slight recognition of the estimation in which he was held by them, but, unfortunately, all his evenings had been previously engaged. He must want a rest and change, and shall be glad to see him return much we benefited.
Surgeon.-Captain-Meyer, I.M.S., is still at engaged in plague work, the authorities
Hubli
having specially applied end of this year.
for his services until the
