2
year. This explanation must be accepted with reservation, as I doubt also the
accuracy of the figures of the Dacca district which was the worst sufferer from
small-pox during 1913. In Midnapore the decrease is said to be due to the
adults of the district having been protected in previous years, less subjects
being thus left for vaccination. No satisfactory explanation of the decrease in
Tippera has been furnished, but I am afraid the figures cannot be relied on
for accuracy.
5. Protection afforded to infants.—During the past year 1913-14 out
of 1.254,652, the estimated number of infants under one year available for
vaccination, 580,639, that is, 462.78 per thousand, were successfully vaccinated
against 480'79 during the preceding year 1912-13. In 13 districts the
protection was over 500 per mille, while in 14 it was below this standard, the
same as in the preceding year. As already stated in the last report, the low
rate of infant protection is due to the backward condition of vaccination in the
Eastern Bengal districts where there is still great opposition to vaccination
specially of infants under one year of age. Bakarganj, Dacca and Chitta-
gong were the worst protected districts as regards infant vaccination, the
protection in these districts having been 83.63, 248.68 ans 250.16 per
thousand respectively.
The protection afforded to infants in Municipalites is shewn in Appendix
VII attached to the report. It will be seen that 768.45 per mille of the survi-
ving infant population was protected during the past year. The attention of
Civil Surgeons has, as usual, been drawn to their responsibility in the matter
of infant vaccination in towns wherever the protection is inadequate.
6. Recess work.—One hundred thirty-four thousand five hundred and
thirty-nine operations were performed during the recess or non-working
season of 1913-14 chiefly in connection with small-pox epidemics and the
up-keep of lymph for emergencies against 112,955 during 1912-13 and 122,260
during 1911-12. The average of the triennial period under review was
123,251 against 185,544 of the previous epoch.
. 7. Six-puncture Vaccination.—The six-puncture system of vaccination
was introduced in the districts of Eastern Bengal during 1912-13 and only a
small amount of work with six-punctures was done during that year in some
of the districts there, but during the past year the method was adopted in
every district. In spite of strong opposition from parents or guardians to have
their infants vaccinated under this system, 695,807 successful primary
operations were performed in six-points during 1913-14 as compared with
333.903 during 1912-13 and 273,402 during 1911-12. The number of re-
vaccinations performed with this method was 47,899 against 7,563, and 3,301
during the two preceding years. The average of the triennial period in
primary vaccination and re-vaccination was 434,371 and 19,588.
8. Factory and tea garden vaccination.—The total number of primary
and re-vaccination operations performed in factories and tea gardens in Bengal
during 1913-14 was 2,640 and 1,672 against 3,386 and 1,291 during 1912-13
and 2,752 and 665 during 1911-12. The average of the triennial period in
primary vaccination and re-vaccination was 2,926 and 1,209.
9. Cost of and contribution towards vaccination.—The total average
cost of vaccination in Bengal for the triennial period under review was
Rs. 1,79,380-10-7 against Rs. 1,62,068-4-6 during 1909-11, the cost of each
successful vaccination being one anna and seven pies against one anna and six
pies. Out of the average cost of vaccination as shown above Rs. 2,448-8-9
were contributed by District Boards and Rs. 84-2-8 by cantonments, the
corresponding figures for the previous triennial period being Rs. 1,331 and
Rs. 104-11-6 respectively.
10. Diagram illustrating death rates from small-pox and degree of
protection afforded.—The diagram facing this page illustrates the death-rates
from small-pox in each district, the proportion of population protected against
the disease by vaccination during the past seven years being shown side by
side.
11. Deaths from Small-pox.—During 1913-14 the total number of
deaths from small-pox in the Presidency was 8,134 against 9,684 and 6,674
during 1912-13 and 1911-12 respectively, the ratio of deaths per 1,000 of the
population being .17 against .21 and .14 during the two preceding years.