The Seventh Annual Report on vaccination in the Sonthal Pergunnahs, by Assistant Surgeon
KALI KRISHNA GHOSE, Deputy Superintendent.
Establishment.
1. THE establishment continued the same as last year, i.e. one deputy superintendent
and six vaccinators. The latter were arranged in grades: thus one vaccinator in the first grade
on a salary of Rs. 16 per month, employed rate, and Rs. 12, unemployed rate; two in the
second grade on Rs. 13 and Rs. 10 respectively; and three in the third grade, on Rs. 10 and
Rs. 8 each. There were no changes among these.
Non-working
season.
2. The non-working season.—Owing to the prevalence of small-pox in certain portions of
Rajmehal and Pakour sub-divisions, mentioned below, vaccination had to be carried on
throughout the whole of the non-working season. This was done, however, at a great
disadvantage. The heat of the weather, as might be expected, interfered seriously with the
results of the operations, which had, in many cases, to be repeated before success could be
attained. Great difficulty was also experienced in maintaining an efficient supply of lymph.
This difficulty was greatly enhanced by the infected places requiring protection being
situated wide apart from each other, and the prejudices of the people preventing their
vaccinated children being taken from one village to another. The supplies that were
obtained at this season from Calcutta and Darjeeling proved ineffective in most cases, when
used. It was therefore with the greatest care and difficulty, and by performing arm-to-arm
vaccination as far as practicable, that we could keep up a supply of lymph sufficient for our
immediate requirements. Notwithstanding all our precautions, however, the ratio of success
in the operations gradually fell from 93.20 in April to 42.5 in August. The total number
of operations during the non-working season was 1,502, of which 1,251 were successful and
251 unsuccessful, including those that were doubtful, the percentage of success being 83.28.
Commencement of
season's work.
3. The season's work was commenced in the beginning of October. The anxiety for
having a sufficient supply of lymph at the outset for the purpose of starting vaccine oper-
ations simultaneously in several places was now greater than ever. Good crusts could not
be had during the hot season. The only lymph we could preserve was by practising arm-to-
arm vaccination ; but owing to the prejudices of the people, as stated above, it was not found
practicable in this way to spread the work for the extensive operations that were now to be
undertaken. English lymph was not forthcoming. Our only hope lay in Darjeeling. A
supply of crusts received from Darjeeling in September having in some cases proved success-
ful when used, I asked for a fresh supply, and the superintendent was kind enough to grant
my request. With this the work was at once started in many places, where it was kept up by
arm-to-arm vaccination. A good and sufficient supply of lymph having been thus secured,
systematic action was determined on, and definite areas taken up for protection.
Pakour
sub-division.
4. The vaccinators being engaged in September in places contiguous to the northern
boundary of Pakour sub-division, the work of introduction in that sub-division was an easy
one. Many villages in the north-westerly portions of this sub-division were protected last
year, and had witnessed the beneficial effects of vaccination. This year it was proposed to
protect the area continuous with this, as far as possible, in the east and south, and also to take
up certain unprotected areas in Rajmehal sub-division.
5. Three vaccinators were at first placed in Pakour sub-division, but subsequently, in
November, one more joined, so that we had a batch of four vaccinators working in Pakour.
Of this batch, vaccinators Indro Narain Doss and Rutty Kanto Doss were instructed to
proceed in a south-westerly direction, starting from the north; and vaccinators Oghore Nath
Mookerjee and Anundo Lall Mohunto to move on in a southerly and easterly direction. The
two former having acquired great influence with the people of this quarter, by the energy and
success with which they had conducted the operations of the previous year, were very successful
in quickly establishing vaccination in a number of villages. The two latter had at first met
with some opposition, which was, however, soon overcome.
Thus these vaccinators went on in a progressive manner protecting village after village.
While engaged vaccinating in one set of villages, they would take care to prepare the minds of
the people of another set which was to come next. Now vaccinating and now overcoming
prejudice and opposition, they had a continuous round of duty to fulfil. Where great
resistance was shown, they were told to keep aloof for a time, and to go on protecting such
villages as readily yielded. This I have always thought a judicious policy. It is, in my
humble opinion, one of the best means of overcoming opposition with the least possible
sacrifice of time and energy. Unless where the opposition is based upon obstinate religious
prejudice, a village cannot long hold out when it sees its surrounding neighbours overcome.
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