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ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS FROM CIVIL SURGEONS.
Chumparun
district.
Chumparun district.—Dr. Cullen reports there is one vaccinator on Rs. 10, paid by
Government, who works from November to the end of March. Besides the vaccinator a
number of inoculators, who had been trained, also worked in the district. The Government
vaccinator was generally employed to inspect the work of the local ex-inoculators, and when
not so employed he vaccinated in the town and suburbs of Moteeharee. The civil surgeon
could not himself inspect so frequently as in former years, owing to the pressure of famine
works. One thousand and seventy-three persons were vaccinated, of whom 1,059, or 98.75
per cent., were successful.
Attitude of the
people.
The people are said to be indifferent to vaccination so long as it is performed by their own
inoculators. Inoculation is still very prevalent in the district. Dr. Cullen writes:—"The
old inoculators are persuaded to come into the station to learn vaccination, and are then allowed
to operate over the area where they formerly inoculated, and to take the fees established by
old custom for this purpose. Their work is frequently inspected, and they are made to
furnish monthly returns of the numbers operated on, and these numbers are verified during
inspection."
Small pox.
Small-pox prevails every year, and sometimes to a severe extent. At such times vaccinators
are sent out to try and vaccinate the unprotected; but the people do not fear the disease, and
are averse to such measures.
BHAGULPORE DIVISION.
Monghyr.
Monghyr district.—Dr Purves reports that the municipalities of Monghyr and Jamal-
pore employed four vaccinators, who were paid Rs. 10 each during the working season, and
Rs. 5 during the recess. Two vaccinators were also entertained by the Durbungah Raj on
the Khurruckpore estates. The Government grant of Rs. 120 was distributed among 134
instructed inoculators. They had no defined areas, but worked where they expected most
success. The operations within municipal limits were inspected by the civil surgeon and
his assistant. Great difficulty was experienced in starting the work, owing to the repeated
failure of lymph and crusts. The numbers vaccinated were, Monghyr and Jamalpore
vaccinators, 1,259 ; Khurruckpore vaccinators, 439 ; the hospital assistants of Jamooee and
Begoo Serai, 634 and 27, respectively ; 134 converted inoculators, 12,964. Vaccination does
not find much favor among the higher class natives, and the Marwarees are opposed to
both inoculation and vaccination. Inoculation is said to be very common in the town and
all over the district. Now that the Act prohibiting it has been extended to Monghyr and
Jamalpore, inoculators will not be able to carry on their practice in those towns. Dr. Purves
thus remarks on the proceedings of the trained inoculators :—
Trained
inoculators.
" With the exception of the municipalities already mentioned, and the two vaccinators
paid by the Rajah of Durbungah, there is no organized system of vaccination. All the
work in the district is performed by trained inoculators, who get little or no encouragement
in the way of remuneration from Government, and upon whom, as a necessary result, we have
no check.
" All that Government allows on account of vaccination is Rs. 120 per annum, and it
has hitherto been the custom to divide this sum among the deserving trained inoculators; but
now that their number has so increased, the share they may become individually entitled to is
scarcely worth claiming. The number of these men applying for perwannahs has considerably
increased during the year under notice—134 against 92. They are generally late in
presenting themselves, and only work over a short period. They are furnished with an order
to the police to be allowed to operate in certain thanas, and their respective document is
attached.
" In the event of any of them being discovered practising inoculation, the police are
requested to report the matter at once. A copy of the printed form they get is appended.
" Each man works among the inhabitants of a few villages in the vicinity of his own;
and in fact this is the only way of getting the people to submit to the operation. These men
are generally known to the villagers, and they repose confidence in them, which would not be
accorded to strangers. I have no doubt that some of them may not be honest, and practise
inoculation on the sly; but many of them do good work. The returns show an increase in
the operations performed by these men—12,961 against 12,531.
Small-pox.
" Small-pox is an annual occurrence, and the disease is generally present more or less
from March to June. During 1873, 706 deaths were registered, viz., 81 in the municipality
and 625 in the district."
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In conclusion Dr. Purves remarks:—" Unless, however, some pecuniary encouragement be
given by Government to these ex-inoculators, I fear much that they will get tired of work-
ing for nothing, and may revert to their old occupation in despair.''
Bhagulpore
Bhagulpore district.—Dr. Baillie reports :—" As in the previous year, vaccination was
chiefly carried on by old inoculators, men who have been in the habit of inoculating in the
same villages, and their fathers before them, often for several generations. The plan of opera-
tions was the same as that described in my last report.