ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS BY CIVIL SURGEONS REGARDING
DISPENSARY AND MUNICIPAL VACCINATIONS.
BURDWAN DIVISION.
1. Burdwan.—Vaccination was limited during this year to the four municipalities of
Burdwan, Ranigunge, Cutwa, and Dainhat, where three vaccinators were employed on Rs. 12
per mensem each, paid from Municipal Funds. The Cutwa man appears to be an ex-inocu-
lator. No vaccinators are attached to any of the dispensaries in the district, but at the
Mankoor and Mahatta dispensaries 49 persons (39 successfully) were vaccinated by the Civil
Hospital Assistants attached to those dispensaries. The period of employment of the
vaccinators was regulated according to the extent of the area within which they were required
to operate, viz. at Burdwan for six months (October 1880 to March 1881), at Ranigunge for
three months (January to March 1881), and one vaccinator for both Cutwa and Dainhat for
four months (December 1880 to March 1881). The work done during the year is shown in
the subjoined table as compared with that of the preceding year:—
In 1880-81
In 1879-80
Total number vaccinated
1,610
1,714
Average vaccinations by each
vaccinator
539
571
PRIMARY VACCINATIONS
Total
1,604
1,697
Successful.
Under one year
313
One year and
under six
874
No data
Total of all ages.
1,581
1,657
Re-vaccin-
ations.
Total
15
17
Successful.
9
6
Percentages
of successful
cases
Primary
98.56
97.64
Re-vaccination
60.00
35.29
RELIGION OF THE VACCINATED.
Number vaccinated.
Hindus.
1,340
...
Mahomedans
275
Christians.
4
Other races
...
Proportion per cent
to total vaccinated.
Hindus.
82.76
Mahomedans.
16.98
Christians.
.24
No data
Other races.
...
...
The amount of work done was somewhat less than in the preceding year, but the success
that attended the primary operations was better and satisfactory—that attending there-vaccin-
ations indicates that either the operations were not cases of re-vaccination, or that the results
were not truly recorded Births are not registered at any of the four towns above mentioned
except at Burdwan; but here alone 701 births were registered. Estimating the births at the
low rate of 30 per 1,000 of population, the number of births in the four towns in
question would amount to 2,023. Contrasting with this figure the 313 infants who
were successfully vaccinated, the proportion of the number vaccinated to total births
amounts to only 15.47 per cent. Referring to the religion of the total number of persons
vaccinated, it is found that 2.47 per cent of the Hindu, 2.16 per cent of the Mahomedan,
and .96 per cent. of the Christian populations were respectively operated on. The Civil
Surgeon or the two Assistant Surgeons saw 751 of the above cases, against 171 in 1879-80,
and found that 742 had been successfully vaccinated, indicating much progress in inspec-
tions. The plan of operations adopted consisted in arm-to-arm vaccination. At Burdwan
the lymph was obtained from Calcutta, a vaccinated child being taken for the purpose ;
at Ranigunge a child with fresh lymph on its arm was procured from Assensole; and at
Cutwa and Mankoor the supply was received from the Superintendent of Vaccination,
Metropolitan Circles, which proved to be good. With a few exceptions, persuasion and
advice proved sufficient to induce the people to take the prophylactic. The Civil Surgeon
says that the attitude of the people in the district may be, on the whole, regarded as
favorable to vaccination, as with a few exceptions persons, low or high, rich or poor, submit
to have their children vaccinated with alacrity, their old prejudices having in a manner
died out. Even the confectioners in Burdwan, who were reported last year to be averse
to the measure, were induced to take the prophylactic this year, excepting one family; but
the Marwaries in Ranigunge continued refractory in spite of the endeavours of the Assist-
ant Surgeon and some of the Municipal Commissioners to induce them to submit to the
protection. Inoculation does not appear to have been carried on, the law prohibiting it
having succeeded in suppressing the practice. There was no noticeable outbreak of small-
pox in the towns or district. Measles broke out in December in the town of Ranigunge
and the adjacent villages to a good extent, but the reported deaths were only two. Pilgrims
pass through this town, and it is always subject to contagious diseases. Measles also
prevailed in Burdwan. The reported deaths from small-pox in 1880-81 amounted at
Burdwan to 8, or .24 per 1,000 of population. At Ranigunge and Cutwa no deaths were
reported to have occurred. No separate record of mortality is kept in the Dainhat town.
2. Bankoora.—Vaccination was carried on in the municipalities of Bankoora and
Bishenpore from October 1880 to March 1881 by two vaccinators on Rs. 10 each, maintained
by the municipalities. A detailed return of the unvaccinated was first made out for each
division of the municipalities, and after they were tested, vaccination was commenced in
the least protected mohullahs, the police, the sub-divisional officers, and the Municipal
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