18
REPORT OF VACCINATION IN BENGAL
in such cases are well trained men provided by the superintendent of the Metropolitan
circles. The two southern sub-divisions of Jessore are still without vaccination, but they are
to be systematically vaccinated next season. An attempt to establish self-supporting vaccin-
ation in the Magoorah sub-division of the same district has failed for want apparently of
proper supervision.
Moorshedabad.
Rajshahye
division.
Pubna.
Vaccination by
apprentices at
Lallpore.
In the Moorshedabad district vaccination is systematically performed in the cities of
Berhampore and Moorshedabad, and a few municipalities in the interior employ vaccinators ;
but the district may be said to be without the means of vaccination, and both the magistrate
and civil surgeon consider that it ought to be included in a vaccine circle. The amount of
vaccination done in the districts of the Rajshahye division, in addition to the operations of the
Darjeeling circle, is very meagre. Pubna, which is not included in the circle, is very specially
backward. The proceedings of the apprentices at Lallpore, in Rajshahye, show how necessary
intelligent direction and supervision are in all vaccine efforts. Spurious vaccination is worse
than no vaccination, because it implants a feeling of security when there is really no protection.
Orissa division.
Eastern districts.
Dacca.
Dacca division.
Chittagong
division.
Vaccination is very backward in the Orissa division, and is limited to the sudder stations
and dispensaries, and their vicinity. Dr. Hill, the civil surgeon of Pooree, made an attempt
to induce inoculators to practice vaccination, but failed. The people are prejudiced, and
inoculation is rampant. In the Eastern districts good work has been done by the Eastern
Bengal circle of vaccination, but its operations have as yet been almost entirely confined to the
Dacca district, which however has been pretty thoroughly done. No details have reached me
regarding the vaccination of the city of Dacca—a very important omission, the cause of
which I shall not fail to ascertain and report. In the other districts of the Dacca
division—Furreedpore, Backergunge, and Mymensingh—vaccine operations are limited to the
head-quarters station and some of the outlying dispensaries, but, as the Eastern Bengal circle
extends the operations, these districts will be brought under systematic vaccination.
All the districts of the Chittagong division are in the same plight; but the results of the
season under report indicate some slight progress. An effort was made to induce the natives
of the Hill Tracts of Chittagong to become vaccinators, but without success, and a similar
attempt in Hill Tipperah was but partially successful.
Behar.
Patna.
A new circle for
Behar wanted.
Gya.
Shahabad.
Tirhoot.
Durbhunga.
Sarun.
Chumparun.
Bhagulpore
division.
In some of the districts of Behar, self-supporting vaccination has been initiated with
some promise of success. In the Patna district more work was done in the Dinapore cantonment
but less in the city of Patna, owing, it is said, to the absence of small-pox. More work was done at
Bankipore and at the sub-divisional head-quarters of Barh and Behar, but the attempt to train
inoculators had failed. A new vaccine circle, with Patna as its head-quarters, would be a great
stimulus to vaccination in these parts. In the Gya district prejudice is very strong, and vaccination
is confined to the sudder and sub-divisional stations. This is also the case in Shahabad. Some
have been trained by the civil surgeon of Arrah and medical officer of Buxar, but nothing
is known or recorded of their proceedings. In Tirhoot some vaccination is performed at the
head-quarters of the district and in connection with sub-divisional dispensaries, and one
inoculator appears to have been successfully trained; but the attempt to induce the inoculators
of the district to change their vocation has not proved successful. In Durbhunga and Sarun
also, vaccination is as yet limited in area and amount. Some ex-inoculators, however, appear
to have done good work in the sub-division of Hutwa. In Chumparun the training of
ex-inoculators has been more successful, but systematic supervision of their work is greatly
needed. In the districts of the Bhagulpore division, self-supporting vaccination has
attained large proportions. In Monghyr, Bhagulpore, and Sonthal Pergunnahs, with some
encouragement and supervision, the ex-inoculators will probably be got to do good work.
Purneah is included in the Darjeeling circle, and the amount of vaccination performed by
the municipal vaccinator at the head-quarter station was very trifling.
Cooch Behar
division.
No reports were received from the districts of the Cooch Behar division, which are included
in the Darjeeling circle.
Chota Nagpore.
In Chota Nagpore self-supporting vaccination may be said to have been fairly estab-
lished in the districts of Manbhoom and Singbhoom, and much credit is due to Messrs. Wilson
and Manook for this result. With a special superintendent, a trained establishment to which
men can be temporarily attached for purposes of education and careful arrangement and super-
vision, self-supporting vaccination should in time become a permanent institution in this
division.
Prevalence of
small-pox —
In Calcutta.
Districts surround-
ing Calcutta.
Moorshedahad,
Bankoora,
Beerbhoom,
Midnapore, and
Jessore.
74. Small-pox was very prevalent in many parts of the province in 1874. The
history of the recent outbreak in Calcutta, as given by Dr. Charles (vide paragraph 14), is very
instructive, and may be claimed as a triumph for vaccination. It is still more remarkable
and encouraging that, while the metropolis was so severely visited, the surrounding districts
which constitute the area of the Metropolitan circles, which have been well vaccinated, and,
where inoculation has been prohibited, hardly suffered from the disease at all, only a few
sporadic outbreaks, most of them derived from Calcutta, occurring. In marked contrast with
the immunity of this area was the state of the adjacent districts of Moorshedabad,
Bankoora, Beerbhoom, Midnapore, and part of Jessore, where inoculation has not been
suppressed, nor vaccination been as yet systematically practised. These circumstances prove
to demonstration the great benefit of prohibiting inoculation and encouraging vaccination