2
districts of Betul, Chhindwara, Bhandara and Nagpur, and regretted that but
little progress in vaccination had been made in the districts of Balaghat, Nimar
and Mandla, the last two having suffered severely from epidemic small-pox in
1877. In the present year Balaghat, Nimar and Mandla show improvement,
while the others show retrogression.
The average number of persons vaccinated by each vaccinator was 1,708.
but this high average is obtained owing to specially high figures being reported
from Sambalpur, Betul, Chanda, Seoni and Chhindwara. It is difficult and
perhaps impossible to lay down with even approximate accuracy the num-
ber of vaccinations, which each operator might be expected to perform, for
density of population, distances, the number of towns, and the greater or
less state of education and enlightenment among the people, have all to be taken
into account. Some comparison may, however, be ventured. If in a backward,
remote and sparsely peopled district like Mandla, each vaccinator could perform,
1,820 operations, 1,212 and 1,278 seem low averages in more forward districts
like Saugor and Jubbulpore. If 1,369 operations were possible in the rude dis-
trict of Balaghat, 1,243 is low for a compact and populous district like Wardha;
and no satisfactory explanation seems possible, why in Chanda, each vaccinator
should be able to perform 2,211 operations, while a vaccinator in Nagpur can
only perform little above one-half that number (1,109). It is noticeable too
that the Nagpur vaccinators cannot complain that they are not properly assisted,
for there are 13 chaprasies attached to the Vaccinating staff, which is moreover
supervised by a Superintendent, as the Civil Surgeon has not the requisite
leisure for controlling it.
Of the total persons (295,741) vaccinated, 288,217 were primary vaccinations,
and of these primary vaccinations 271,631 or 96.031 per cent are returned as
successful; while of the 7,524 re-vaccinations, 5,551 or 76.71 per cent are
retained as successful. The highest percentage of successful vaccinations (pri-
mary) is returned from Chhindwara, 99.41; and the districts of Narsinghpur, Sam-
balpur, Betul, Bilaspur, Raipur, Mandla, Damoh, Jubbulpore and Seoni, all show
over 95 per cent. These returns, however, seem to exceed the truth, for on refer-
ring to the statement appended to paragraph 7 showing the examinations made by
Civil Surgeons, their Assistants and Native Superintendents, it appears that the
percentages of successful cases returned by vaccinators, are, with the sole excep-
tions of Mandla and Balaghat, considerably in excess of the percentages certified to
on inspection. The ratio per mille of persons protected is shown as 37.41,
the districts in which most has been done, being Sambalpur in the east, Chanda
in the south, and the hill districts of Mandla, Betul, Chhindwara and Seoni.
Vaccination has now become firmly established in the Province, and the,
people have become familiarised with it. Opposition, however, still lingers, and
apathy will continue to exist, which can only be overcome by patient firmness.
It has, however, been possible to spread a knowledge of the benefits of vaccina-
tion in the remote Feudatory States attached to the Sambalpur district, and such
success should be an encouragement to renewed efforts in our own territory.
4. Statement II. shows the strength and cost of the department. In 17
districts the Civil Surgeon or Civil Medical Officer is the Superintendent of
vaccination ; while in Nagpur there is a Deputy Superintendent. There are 17
Native Superintendents, and 170 subordinate Vaccinators, who are grouped
thus : 38 in Class I, 44 in Class II, and 88 in Class III. Attached to this
staff are 58 chaprasies and other servants. The strength of the menial staff
varies greatly in different districts, and it is not apparent why Nagpur, Narsingh¬
pur, and Raipur should require respectively 13, 9 and 7 servants, when in most
districts 2 suffice. The total expenditure of all kinds amounted to Rs. 35,809,
and the average cost of each successful operation was 2 annas.
5. At dispensaries 19,740 persons were vaccinated, and of these 19,097
were primary vaccinations. Successful primary vaccinations were 17,114 or
91.50 per cent ; while successful re-vaccinations were 449 or 70.93. It may be
noticed that these percentages are considerably lower than those returned by
vaccinators, but a doubt has already been expressed as to the correctness of
these latter.