REPORT.
7
Cost of each case.
Vaccination
becoming more
popular.
notwithstanding this increase, the average cost of each successful case was one anna and ten pie,
against the same last year. This was due to the considerable increase in the number of oper-
ations. Dr. Gupta and his deputy superintendents worked very hard during the season.
They moved about constantly, and inspected the operations very frequently and closely.
They saw 88 per cent. of the cases, which is highly creditable, and bespeaks much energy and
zeal on their part. It is gratifying to observe that vaccination is becoming more and more
popular every year. Many wealthy and high caste people, who had rejected the prophylactic
before, yielded in the course of the last season. It is also satisfactory to find that
incoulators are coming round and changing their practice, for if the whole country is to be
ever thoroughly vaccinated, it must be done by the agency of ex-inoculators, and not by costly
establishments maintained by the State.
21. A reference to the sketch map will show that of the five districts comprised in the
Metropolitan circles, Nuddea has been once thoroughly protected, most of the 24-Pergunnahs
and Hooghly have been gone over twice, and Burdwan has been almost done, except portions
of sudder thana Burdwan, Kotulpore and Sonamukee, the two last being lately transferred
from Bankoora.
Small-pox.
22. Small-pox.—Only 19 reports of small-pox were received during the year, against
23 in 1872-73, out of which four proved to be varicella or chicken-pox. The details
furnished by Dr. Gupta in paragraph 19 are interesting, and prove how in vaccination we
have got a powerful means to localize outbreaks of small-pox and thus prevent it from
spreading. The disease was traced to inoculation in two out of the 15 reports, in six to contact
with small-pox, and in the rest the origin could not be traced. The localities where
outbreaks occurred have now been specified. Of the 15 outbreaks, eight occurred in the
Burdwan district, six in the 24-Pergunnahs, and one in Nuddea.
23. Municipal Vaccination.—It is very satisfactory to notice that 21 municipalities and
four private individuals, all within the area of the Metropolitan circles, 'employed vaccinators
and paid for their services.
Deputy
Superintendents
and establishment.
24. Dr. Gupta reports very favorably of his deputy superintendents and of the whole
establishment. The Metropolitan circles have done excellent work in the past season, and
the result is very creditable to Dr. Gupta and his assistants.
Darjeeling circle.
Changes in
establishment.
25. Darjeeling Circle.—The establishment underwent several changes during the year.
Assistant Surgeon Taruck Nath Gangooly, deputy superintendent of vaccination, went on
leave, and Native Superintendent Tagumal Hossain was appointed to officiate in his place.
In 1872-73 the establishment consisted of one superintendent, one deputy superintendent, and
42 vaccinators. This year the strength of the circle was increased by the sanction of
42 apprentices and three inspectors by Bengal Government letter No. 4066 of 18th October.
But the letter reached Dr. Lidderdale after he had made every arrangement for the season's
work, and after the native superintendents had taken up their fields of operation. He could
not get suitable men to fill up the total number of apprentices sanctioned, 27 being
the highest number he had at any time. As for inspectors, he says he could not
procure any at the rate of pay given. He complains of some difficulty in getting suitable
men to recruit as vaccinators. Inoculators of the weaver caste and low class Mussulmans
were the only two classes who came forward. Dr. Lidderdale wants Brahmins and high caste
men, and I quite concur in the wisdom of his choice. He experienced greater difficulties in
procuring local native superintendents, and expresses a wish to indent upon, and draw from,
the Presidency and Metropolitan circles. Dr. Charles and Dr. Gupta will be asked if they
can spare any men for the Darjeeling circle. But I am still of opinion that Dr. Lidderdale
should try and appoint local men and not import strangers, however well-trained they may
be, since these latter will labour under very great disadvantages. The post of one vaccinator
supported by the Promotho-Nath fund of Nattore was abolished during the year The
reason is not stated. Besides the regular establishment paid by Government, four vaccinators
worked in Julpigoree, a gang of them in Mynagoree, 11 in Purneah, six vaccinators belonging
to the Dinagepore Rajbaree, several ex-inoculators in Bogra and in other districts.
Obstacles.
26. The work of the season was impeded through the carelessness and misconduct of
several vaccinators and native superintendents, as well as by the opposition of the ex-inoculators.
The superintendent was obliged to dismiss those men and to appoint others in their places.
As regards the ex-inoculators, Dr. Lidderdale points out very prominently that they should
not be allowed to work except under check and supervision. I entirely concur in this remark,
though at the same time I am of opinion that with proper check and supervision we can safely
make use of them in vaccinating the country with very little cost. In one or two districts
this system is under trial, and if it prove successful, the system may be very advantageously
extended to others. The Rajbaree gang of six vaccinators, maintained by the manager of
the Dinagepore Ranee's estate, Baboo Kisto Mohun Sing, have done great injury to the
cause of vaccination by practising inferior vaccination without any definite plan as to area,
method, or supervision. Dr. Lidderdale had repeatedly pointed out to the manager, through
the district magistrate, the absolute necessity of methodical working and supervision over his