6
REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BENGAL
16. To the same effect is a table below relative to temperature, rainfall,
and small-pox in Rungpore, a district of Bengal, and it certainly does not
seem to bear out the idea that a temperature of 85° enfeebles the diffusive
power of small-pox:—
Table showing the mean Temperature, Rainfall, and number of cases of Small-pox in the Rungpore
district from January 1878 to June 1879.
Mean temperature
Rainfall
Number of cases of
small-pox regis-
tered
January 1878.
62
.03
74
February 1878.
71
.54
28
March 1878.
78
.40
11
April 1878.
82
5.02
42
May 1878.
79
9.31
22
June 1878.
82
22.69
12
July 1878.
79
46.23
12
August 1878.
77
14.82
20
September 1878
79
19.61
5
October 1878.
80
1.32
Nil
November 1878.
76
1.53
5
December 1878.
65
... 27
January 1879.
65
... 108
February 1879.
66
.71
1,000
March 1879.
77
... 2,017
April 1879.
89
.38
3,622
May 1879.
84
9.42
3,129
June 1879.
82
26.95
2,046
17. From the first table it will be seen that in May 1877 in Lahore, though
the average temperature was 85°, there were 1,542 cases of small-pox, whereas
in April, with a temperature of 74°, there were only 1,074. The same thing
will be noticed in other columns. According to these tables a temperature of
85° does not render inert the virus of small-pox. Dr. Lidderdale, in writing of
his experience in the Darjeeling Circle, says:—" The two months of highest
temperature have the largest number of cases almost invariably, whereas a
steady decline, begins with July, and continues till the cold weather sets in
when the rise begins again. This, I believe, depends on the practice of inocula-
tion which is carried on chiefly during the cold weather, and the shutting up of
houses and bringing out old infected articles of warm clothing not on the
lower temperature being favourable to the virus."
18. Police in reference to vaccination.—In some of the reports, the
police are said to be helpful to vaccinators, while in others they are
said to the quite the reverse. Mr. Lyons indeed hints that they have
their reasons for encouraging the practice of inoculation, as opposed to
vaccination even in parts of the country where the former is prohibited
by law. I would also beg to call attention to what Mr. Lyons says as
to the difficulty of ex-inoculators or licensed vaccinators recovering their
fees. He states that moonsifs will not take up cases in which these
men sue for their fees, but require the " complainants to show a law
empowering them to recover their fees." Government of Bengal letter
No. 2069 of the 7th May last, to my address, states that vaccinators may sue
for their fees, so that the moonsifs whom Mr. Lyons refers to may probably be
wrong; but the matter seems worthy of attention, as the self supporting
system of vaccination will never be properly carried out unless the recovery of
the small fees which licensed vaccinators are allowed to charge can be easily
obtained. Mr. Gupta in the same manner calls attention to the difficulties which
the ex-inoculators acting under him have experienced in collecting their fees, and
states that their efforts to obtain payment somewhat interfered with their work
by occupying time which ought to have been given to vaccination. In reference
to the police, I am decidedly of opinion that every man in the force should be
vaccinated. This would tend to make them more favourably disposed towards
vaccination. I have also proposed in other communications (vide this office
No. 829B.G. of 18th July and No. 1002B.G. of 26th August) that all Govern-
ment servants should be vaccinated. Every recruit for the Native Army is
vaccinated. During the present season a chuprassie belonging to the Bengal
Office brought small-pox from Calcutta to Darjeeling.
19. Licensed Vaccinators and their Supervision.—The Deputy Superintendent
of Vaccination of the Sonthal Pergunnahs brings to notice that ex-inoculators
last year received licenses and were employed under the Civil Surgeons of
Monghyr and of the Sonthal Pergunnahs. This, I consider, should not be per-
mitted in future; all vaccine operations carried on within a vaccination circle
should be entirely directed and superintended by officers of the Vaccination
Department. Unless the supervision of the work of licensed vaccinators is thorough
and trustworthy, vaccination had much better not be attempted. In the Ranchee