ABSTRACT OF REPORTS BY SUPERINTENDENTS OF CIRCLES.
CALCUTTA, AND SUBURBS.
THE following is an abstract of the twelfth annual report on the working of the
Presidency vaccine establishment under the superintendence of Surgeon-Major T. E Charles.
Ordinary establishment.—No change had taken place during the year in the general
superintendence of the department.
The Superintendents continued each in his own sphere of work. Dr. Charles is desirous
of placing on record the good work both these officers have done. He suggests that when
opportunities occur they be promoted out of the vaccine department to posts of civil medical
officers, for which he considers them well qualified.
There was no change among the head vaccinators. One vaccinator died and another
resigned. Both vacancies were filled up.
Emergent establishment.—An "emergent" vaccine establishment, consisting of three
Superintendents, three head vaccinators, and twenty-four vaccinators, was placed at the
disposal of Dr. Charles from the Metropolitan circles, and was employed for two months,
commencing from 1st April.
Work.—The total number of vaccinations performed during the past year was 37,848.
Comparing this with the figure of the previous year, which was 62,831, a decrease of 24,983
cases is exhibited.
Of the 37,848 vaccinations, 23,149 were performed among the residents of Calcutta and
the suburbs, and 14,699 among emigrants passing through the metropolis to Assam and
elsewhere. Among the latter, during the previous year, 30,821 operations were performed,
and the difference, viz. 16,122, accounts for much of the general decrease of the past year.
Among the former 12,407 vaccinations were performed in Calcutta, against 17,896 in the
previous year, and 10,742 in the suburbs, against 14,114, showing, respectively, a decrease
of 5,489 and 3,372, or a total of 8,861 cases, in the past year.
Of the 12,407 town operations, 8,583 were performed by the permanent and 3,824
by the " emergent" establishment. The corresponding figures for the previous year are
14,712 and 3,184. The result of comparison therefore is a decrease of 6,129 cases in the
former and an increase of 640 in the latter for the year under review.
Primary operations —The primary operations performed by the extra establishment in
the town numbered 2,278, and those by the permanent staff 6,614. In the suburbs 7,076
primary operations were also performed by the permanent staff. The corresponding figures
for the previous year are 2,904, 10,182, and 9,395, showing respectively a decrease of 626,
3,568, and 2,319 in the past year.
The following table shows the number of primary vaccinations performed during
1874-75, 1875-76, 1876-77, as compared with that of 1879-80 :—
Years.
1874-75... ... ... ...
1375-76... ... ... ...
1876-77... ... ... ... ...
1879-80... ... ... ... ...
Town.
8,295
6,266
5,882
8,892
Suburbs.
9,781
9,626
9,384.
7,082
The average number of primary vaccinations for five previous years was—town 8,505,
suburbs 9,624.
On the work of the year Dr. Charles remarks :—"During the two years embraced in my
two previous reports small-pox in an epidemic form had caused a very heavy mortality in
Calcutta. While the alarm caused by the prevalence of the disease continued, heavy pres-
sure was brought to bear on the people, with the result of securing large numbers of vaccin-
ations. At such seasons the success in obtaining large numbers depends not so much on the
increased activity of the vaccinators as on the diminished resistance of the people. Besides
this, however, with the fear of the disease before their eyes, they submit to an amount of
compulsion that at other times they would opposs with open violence. This year the
pressure has not been relaxed, as the ravages of the two previous years were still fresh in their
memories,. and the people were found more amenable. The most minute and searching
enquiry has been made for unvaccinated persons, and a most successful season's working
has to be recorded in the sequel Had the year's work to be judged of by a comparison
with the numbers vaccinated during the two last epidemic years, the result would have
to be regarded as most unsatisfactory, as a serious decline in numbers under every heading
has to be recorded. If, however, the work of 1879-80 in Calcutta be compared to that of
the three years preceding the epidemic years, the much larger number of vaccinations now
recorded shows a steady increase in the working power of the department. Not only so,
but even if the two epidemic years be included in a series of five years and an average
struck, the work of the last year still shows that a very satisfactory hold is still being
kept on the people in the town, though a serious falling off in the suburbs has taken
place.
" On the strength of the two tables brought forward I venture to anticipate that
the Surgeon-General will view with satisfaction the work recorded
as
showing evidence of the progress made by vaccination during the last year in the
town."