3
unreliable and that even those now furnished are very doubtful. The
figures for Tippera and Dacca are also suspected to be unreliable.
The Governor in Council notices with regret that the percentage of
infants vaccinated fell from 48 in 1912-13 to 46 in 1913-14. Malda now heads
the list with the excellent percentage of 86 and Bakarganj stands last with
the almost incredibly low figure of 8.3. His Excellency in Council trusts that
in future greater attention will be paid to the vaccination of infants.
The six-puncture system of vaccination was introduced into many
districts in Eastern Bengal during 1912-13, but it was not adopted in every
district till 1913-14. In that year the number of infant vaccinations
performed under this system was more than double that of the year before,
while the number of re-vaccinations was 47,899 against 7,563 and 3,301
during the two preceding years.
The system of anti-septic vaccination was introduced into the Eastern
Bengal districts during 1913-14 with fairly satisfactory results. The average
annual cost of vaccination was Rs. 1,79,381 as compared with Rs. 1,62,068
during the years 1908-09 to 1910-11.
The increase in the number of Deputy Sanitary Commissioners has
rendered possible a more thorough inspection of vaccination. Many abuses
have already been brought to light, especially in the Dacca Circle, where the
Sanitary Commissioner has recently recommended the appointment of two
special supervising officers to assist the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner.
This proposal is under the consideration of Government.
7. Sanitary improvements.—The total Municipal expenditure under all
heads of sanitation during the financial year 1912-13 increased by more than
Rs. 1,75,000 over that of the previous year. The expenditure on water.
supply shows a large increase, for which Hooghly-Chinsurah, Kurseong and
Howrah are mainly responsible. A water works scheme was also completed
for Chandpur Old Market and several other schemes were under consideration.
The expenditure on conservancy rose slightly in most municipalities, but in
spite of this the total fell by more than a lakh of rupees. This is accounted
for partly by the absence of any heavy expenditure such as had been
incurred in the previous year on the Dacca conservancy tram, and partly by
the reduction in expenditure on the Darjeeling sewage scheme now nearing
completion. Something was done during the year under report to improve
village sanitation in Birbhum, Hooghly, Midnapore, Bakarganj and Rangpur ;
but the Deputy Commissioner of the Presidency Circle reports that these
sanitary measures receive no local support and are often rendered ineffective
by lack of co-operation on the part of the educated classes.
8. Sanitary Board.—The Board was strengthened during the year by
the inclusion of three non-official members. At the same time the Sanitary
Engineer's Department was removed from its control. Rules giving effect
to this arrangement were issued in November. Two meetings of the Board—
one ordinary and one special—were held. Only four water-supply and three
drainage schemes were considered during the year, but many have since
come up.
9. Sanitary Engineer s Department.—A separate report on the work of
the Sanitary Engineer's Department is submitted this year for the first time,
as this department is no longer under the control of the Sanitary Board.
An additional Assistant Sanitary Engineer was appointed during the year,
and Government sanction was accorded to the appointment of two sub-
engineers, four surveyors, two assistant draftsmen and an accountant.
In addition to his own duties the Sanitary Engineer prepared detailed
schemes for the water-supply of the Jherria coal-fields, his services being lent
to the Government of Bihar and Orissa for two months for this purpose.
The Sanitary Engineer was also a member of the Committee appointed
to consider questions relating to Calcutta sewage and in this connection he
designed experimental sewage works at Entally. Many sketch and detailed
projects were drawn up and in course of preparation during the year. The
progress made in engineering work showed some improvement ; of ten water-
supply and eleven drainage schemes under construction, five waterworks
and two drainage schemes were completed. The Burdwan drainage scheme
was seriously interrupted by the floods, but satisfactory progress has been