2
REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BENGAL
3. Operations.—Looking at the results of the year, we find that there was
an increase of 9,970 cases in Calcutta and its suburbs, a decrease of 63,571
in the Metropolitan Circles, and increases in the Darjeeling, Ranchee, Sonthal
Pergunnahs, and Eastern Bengal, while in the Orissa and Behar Circles fewer
vaccinations were done in 1878-79 than in the former year. Dispensary
vaccinations were also less by 82,004 cases. The total increase of all circles
was 181,401 and the total decrease 150,818, so that the net increase has
been 30,583. The total number of vaccinations in Bengal for 1875-76 was
1,086,373; for 1876-77, 1,509,910; for 1877-78, 1,285,301; and for 1878-79,
1,315,884.
STATEMENT NO. II.
Calcutta and Suburbs
...
...
...
...
...
Metropolitan Circles
...
...
...
...
...
Darjeeling Circle
...
...
...
...
...
Ranchee
„
...
...
...
...
...
Sonthal Pergunnahs Circle ... ... ... ... ...
Eastern Bengal
„ ... ... ... ... ...
Orissa
„
...
...
...
...
...
Behar
„
...
...
...
...
...
Dispensary vaccination ... ... ... ...
Total ...
Net increase ...
TOTAL NUMBER VACCINATED.
1878-79.
62,831
394,186
259,857
153,586
40,229
235,802
34,612
11,959
122,822
1,315,884
...
1877-78
52,861
457,757
228,864
110,024
28,240
150,915
36,370
15,444
204,826
1,285,301
......
DIFFERENCE.
Increase.
9,970
...
30,993
43,562
11,989
84,887
......
......
...
181,401
Decrease.
......
63,571
......
......
......
......
1,758
3,485
82,004
150,818
30,583
4. I must refer to the abstracts of the reports of Superintendents for
fuller details as to the causes of decrease in the number of vaccinations, and
merely mention in general terms what they are said to be. In the Metro-
politan Circles in 1877-78 there was a decrease of 64,193 as compared with
1876-77. During 1878-79, compared with the previous year, there has been a
further decrease of 63,571 cases.
This is attributed to the past having
been the first year in which the self-supporting system of vaccination has
been tried in these circles, and this, considered with the result obtained, seems
to me to be satisfactory. In the Orissa Circle a good deal of time was lost in
establishing vaccination, which was not effected till the end of October by
means of English lymph, supplies previously received from Calcutta in
September and October having failed. This was one cause of the smaller
number of operations ; and another was the sickness among the vaccinators.
In the Behar Circle the decrease is attributed to the difficulty experienced in
getting the people to bring forward their children, especially such as have not
been used to inoculation; and the people are said also to have had some
remains of the fear left that, in some way or other, vaccination was connected
with extra taxation. Another cause was the difficulty of carrying out arm-to-
arm vaccination; and a further cause assigned is the want of co-operation from
the police. In referring to the abstracts of the reports of Superintendents, it
will be observed that, even in the circles which showed an increase, formidable
obstacles had to be overcome, and the establishment was often much crippled
by sickness.
5. Decrease in Dispensary Vaccination.—The decrease in the number of
dispensary vaccinations is chiefly due to no Government vaccinators having
worked during the year. The operations reported under this head were done
by municipal vaccinators, or by the medical subordinates attached to the
dispensaries. Such operations, unless carefully inspected by the Civil Surgeon,
are of little use, or perhaps it might be said, as a general rule they are worse
than useless. In many cases, too, there can be little doubt the operations have
had existence on paper only. Unless there is absolute certainty that the lymph
used is good, that arm-to-arm vaccination is practised, and that the result of the
operation is seen at the proper time by a competent observer, vaccine oper-
ations had better not be undertaken. Those which do not come under
the above description are apt to lead persons on whom they have been practised
to imagine that they have been protected when they have not been so.