14
ABSTRACT OF REPORTS BY SUPERINTENDENTS.
The Deputy Superintendent made visits to the scene of small-pox outbreaks in Runpgore
in April, May, June, and July, and was continuously on tour from October to March. He
visited 644 villages—174 in Rungpore, 463 in Julpigoree, and 7 in Cooch Behar. He verified
40,741 cases with a success per cent. of 98.05.
The native Superintendents were with their men throughout the cold season, and also
with very short intervals during the hot weather and rains when suppressing small-pox.
They inspected 2,945 villages, of which 1,266 were in Rungpore, 1,559 in Julpigoree, and 120
in Cooch Behar. They verified 89,609 cases, with a success per cent. of 98.61. Altogether
162,279 cases were seen by the different officers.
Licensed vaccinators.—The establishment was increased by the appointment of another
Inspector for Rungpore and the placing of 30 more licensed men in the same district. It
therefore consisted of one Deputy Superintendent, four Inspectors, and 120 licensed vaccinators.
The Deputy Superintendent and many of the men were laid up with fever during the
working season. The former is ill-paid, receiving Rs. 125 a month, and cares little about
his appointment. The Superintendent thinks that the large expenses incurred, with
constant travelling and change of residence in places where food-supplies are dear and means
of locomotion often only to be procured at exorbitant rates, and the extreme unhealthiness
of the country in which his duties lie, and its expensive character, make it only fair that that
officer or any other incumbent should be adequately paid to ensure efficient work. The
Inspectors were generally well-behaved, the one in Rajshahye, as before, giving some trouble.
Some licensed vaccinators resigned, and others were appointed to their places.
Area and work.—The districts into which the new system has been introduced within the
limits of the Darjeeling circle are Bogra, Rajshahye, Dinagepore, and Rungpore. It is
proposed to further extend it to Julpigoree next cold season if the pay for an Inspector is
sanctioned, for which application will be made. There will then only remain Maldah and
Purneah and the Terai sub-division of Darjeeling in the part of the circle lying in the
plains, which must be protected by the Government vaccinators, and which will be the work
of not more than three years.
The number of operations for the year (135,514) is in excess of last year by 46,643.
The operations were distributed in 1,177 villages in Rajshahye, 1,541 in Dinagepore, 1,249
in Rungpore, and 958 in Bogra. The success is 98.85 per cent. in primary and 93 65 in
secondary vaccination. Each successful case cost the Government four pies. The following
statement shows the sex, age, and caste of the 135,388 persons primarily vaccinated : —
Male ... ... ... ... ... ...
Female ... ... ... ... ... ...
Under one year ... ... ... ... ...
Above ditto ... ... ... ... ...
Christians ... ... ... ... ... ...
Hindus
...
...
...
...
...
...
Mussulmans ... ... ... ... ...
Other castes...
...
...
... ... ...
53.39
46.60
9 93
90.06
.004
23.81
71.17
4.99
Inspections of the supervising staff.—The Deputy Superintendent visited 246 villages—
193 in Rungpore and 53 in Dinagepore—where he verified only 4,269 primary vaccinations
with a percentage of success of 98 22, and 16 secondary cases with a success of 43.75 per cent.
Rajshahye and Bogra were not visited by him, as he was recalled to Rungpore on account
of small-pox just when about to start.
The Inspectors visited 1,641 villages and verified 38,189 operations with a success of
99.27 per cent.
Average work per man.—The average work per man was 1,129.29, against 987.45 for
1878-79. It is an improvement of 141.84, but is still below what has been reckoned as
necessary to completely meet the birth-rate, viz. 1,500 cases per man. It will require about
34,000 more vaccinations a year to keep these districts well protected. Taking the birth-rate
at 30 per mille, Rajshahye shows 32.03 successful vaccinations per thousand of population,
Bogra 27.55, Dinagepore 25.35, and Rungpore 16.95 ; but of this last district much
was overrun by Government vaccinators till the licensed men began working, thus limiting
the supply of unprotected infants. If the work of the Government men be added to that
of the licensed men, and the whole population of Cooch Behar be included in the
Darjeeling circle, the births will have been exceeded by the operations by more than a lakh
of cases. The Superintendent, however, trusts that the Government will consider the
working of the licensed system fairly performed, as the men have had many difficulties
and discouragements to contend against, often having had to go without the fees to which
they are justly entitled.
Small-pox and inoculation.—The hot weather and rains of 1879 was the worst small-pox
season in Bengal which has come under observation, but only in a limited area. In
1878-79 in the northern part of Rungpore a violent outbreak occurred. It had a long conti-
nuance, and the whole country was much poisoned with the disease. From April to October
1879 vaccination was steadily practised in thanas Forunbari, Darwani, Laldakha, andDimla
by a strong body of men, who experienced much difficulty to keep the disease down, as the
infection kept alive in villages where inoculated persons were getting attacked although all
unprotected ones had been vaccinated. Moreover the people were disinclined to accept
vaccination, especially in the hot months, and concealed their children, in which they were
aided by the rural police, who withheld information of ' their whereabouts. Vaccination