2
middle of the season is also supposed to have helped to reduce the number
of operations. But it may be pointed out that there are reasons for believ-
ing that last year's figures from this district were greatly exaggerated by the
subordinate inspecting staff, with a view to drawing an enhanced amount in
the form of capitation fees from the District Board. The matter is still
under investigation. Incidentally it may be pointed out that in every
district the lack of responsible supervision, owing to the fact that Civil
Surgeons cannot give sufficient time supervising the vaccinations, leads to
irregularities on the part of the vaccinators and subordinate inspecting staff,
and nothing but the employment of full-time Health Officers, who can superin-
tend vaccination by District Boards, will check this evil. In Jessore and
Mymensingh the fall of the jute mill market and the consequent disinclination
of the people to pay for vaccination fees contributed to the decrease noticed
above. In Midnapore there was a slight increase in primary vaccinations, but
a large decrease in re-vaccinations led to the net decrease quoted above.
This is said to be the result of the Civil Surgeon's orders to the vaccinators to
concentrate their efforts upon primary vaccination and to resort to re-vaccina-
tion only in cases of necessity.
5. Vaccination in Municipalities.—The total number of vaccinations
performed in Calcutta during 1917-18 was 35,370 against 26,862 during the
previous year, and that done in the mufassal municipalities, dispensaries, etc.,
amounted to 109,727 against 102,584 during 1916-17. The average number
of persons vaccinated by each vaccinator in mufassal municipalities was 679
against 634, and that done by licensed and paid vaccinators was 958 and 1,372
against 1,003 and 1,398, respectively, during 1916-17.
6. Protection afforded to infants.—Out of 1,365,560, the estimated
number of available infants for vaccination during 1917-18, 356.721 or 261'22
per mille were reported to have been successfully vaccinated as compared
with 306.26 and 318.01 during the two preceding years.
In three districts against five, during the preceding year, and six during
the year before the protection was stated to be over 500 per mille, while in
others it was below the standard. But these figures must be accepted with
reserve, as vaccination during infancy is usually objected to and the results
obtained when superior officers inspect vaccination are always far below those
reported by the subordinate staff of Inspectors.
The protection reported as having been afforded to infants in muni-
cipalities is shown in Appendix VII attached to these notes. It is stated that
582.56 per mille of the living infants were protected during the year as
compared with 641.74 and 712.71 during the preceding two years, but the
inspection reports of my Deputy Sanitary Commissioners do not support this
view. Besides this, only a small proportion of births occurring in municipal
areas are usually recorded, so that any statistics based upon them are bound
to be wrong.
7. Recess Work.—During the recess or non-working season of 1917-18
altogether 123,203 operations were reported in connection with the supression
of small-pox against 142,207 during 1916-17. The fact that work of this
kind is necessary is primâ facie evidence of the generally inefficient manner
in which vaccination is performed in Bengal.
8. Six-puncture vaccination.—The total number of successful primary
and re-vaccination operations in six points in this Presidency during the year is
reported to be 196,136 and 3,763, respectively, against 2,21,226 and 5,622
during the previous year. These figures, however, must be accepted with
reserve.
9. Factory and Tea garden vaccinations.—During 1917-18 the total
number of primary and re-vaccination operations performed in factories and
tea gardens in this Presidency amounted to 6,801 and 2,007 against 7,930 and
4,408, respectively, during the previous year.
10. Cost of and contribution towards vaccination.—The total cost of
vaccination during the year was Rs. 215,838-3-4 against Rs. 2,04,494-9-11
during 1916-17, the average cost of each successful case of vaccination being
annas two and pies three during both these years. The District Boards and
Cantonments contributed Rs. 16,210-15 and 97-10 against Rs. 15,588-15-7
and Rs. 96 in the previous year.