6
been given ; and then, with the consent of the parents, one or two having been
operated upon in the presence of the crowd, fear seemed to pass away, and
example to have its influence, so that, as noticed in some of my published reports,
I have often been mobbed by parents with their children, candidates for the
operation, and few days passed without children being brought from distances
in the afternoon, their parents or friends having been witnesses of the perform-
ances of the morning.
Dr. Hall's experiences in Betul seem to tally with my own.
I found little opposition on the score of religion, the apathy of the
people being the most difficult to overcome, and where this was not present
there were ,dread of a new thing and objection to the shedding of even a drop
or two of blood from the use of the lancet.
With tact and energy European officers can generally succeed in persuad-
ing the large bulk of the people, and even overcome strong opposition as
Dr. Barter himself experienced; but it is very difficult to find a native who,
unsupported by evidences of authority, is able to set aside the sinister counsels
of any ignorant old woman where these seem to run with the fears and super-
stitions of the hearers. Dr. Barter states that, except by old and experienced
vaccinators, little was done before he himself had visited the neighbourhood.
The Civil Surgeon cannot possibly go to every town or village, but by
collecting the people from not too distant points, he may come into direct com-
munication with the chief men of very many. The Native vaccinators, on
subsequently visiting the villages to examine the results of any operations per-
formed in the Superintendent's camp, are expected to vaccinate at their homes or
at the Malguzar's house any children who may not have been brought to the
rendezvous.
I cannot agree with Dr. Barter that it is desirable to make the people
believe that the vaccine disease is small-pox only differing in degree, for which
puja to ' Mata Devi' is called for or desirable. Indeed this is quite opposed to
my own directions to Vaccinators as given in paragraph 12, Chief Commissioner's
Circular No. 43 of 1868, which was to the effect that they should impress upon
all, sepecially the mothers of children, that puja involving trouble and expense
was quite unnecessary after successful vaccination.
Dr. Barter has zealously supervised the work in his district and in his
report has entered into detail of his various tours and inspections. I would call
attention to his remarks upon assistance received from Rama Lodi, of Kardi,
Paragraphs 40 and 41 have been alluded to above, and the case of the Teli
Patel of Rorni is a fair example of one of the difficulties to be overcome by
Vaccinators in India.
Taking the number of births reported in Seoni as, 10,890, and the
number of deaths under 1 year as 1,708, the number available for vaccination
may be computed as 9,182. The actual number operated upon was 2,641, leav-
ing a balance of 6,541, or 71 per cent under 1 year still unvaccinated.
Some of the Vaccinators appear to have failed from idleness or want of
care. One left early in the season and one was dismissed as untrustworthy.
Four suffered from sickness. One Abdul Wahab, an old Vaccinator, is reported
to have done very well.
SAGAR.—In Sagar district two Vaccinators were employed,—one at head ,
quarters and one at Kurai. The first supply of English lymph failed, but from
the fresh lymph received from Nagpur vaccination was successfully started, on
November 14th in the City, Sadar bazar, and at Kurai. The Hospital
Assistants of Rehli, Deori, and Garhakota were also supplied with Nagpur