ABSTRACT OF REPORTS BY SUPERINTENDENTS.
11
Besides these four districts, some men attached to this circle did work in the Hooghly
district, owing to vaccine arrangements having been made before the transfer of Jehanabad
sub-division from the Burdwan district to that of Hooghly. Twenty-three men under two
Inspectors protected 385 villages. Of the 32,286 persons vaccinated by them, 32,266 were
successfully so, or 99.93 per cent.
The Fourth Metropolitan circle comprised only two districts—Midnapore and Bankoora.
The work here was also commenced at the end of September.
Four Inspectors with their men worked in Midnapore. They visited 2,826 villages and
performed 120,763 operations, of which 120,296 were successful, or 99.61 percent. The
Inspectors verified 48,916 cases, the Deputy Superintendent 17,973, and the Superintendent
14,298.
Small-pox was prevalent at Contai. Two Inspectors with their staff were consequently
employed there. Their work is included in the above figures. In the Bankoora district
44 men under two Inspectors protected 930 villages. Of the 34,712 operations performed by
them, 34,293 were successful, or 98.79 per cent. Of this number the Inspectors proved 17,219,
the Deputy Superintendent 1,339, and the Superintendent 3,128.
Summary of work in the four circles.—The work in the four circles is summarised in the
following table. The average number of operations performed by each man is 165,885 :—
CIRCLES.
1st..
...
...
...
2nd..
.
...
...
3rd...
...
...
...
...
4th
...
...
...
...
...
Total...
PRIMARY VACCINATION.
Total.
118,593
96,240
255,155
164,715
624,703
Successful.
Under one
year.
7,962
8,920
17,002
11,331
45,215
Above one
year.
110,311
86,940
237,843
142,866
577,960
Total of all
ages.
118,273
93,860
254,845
154,197
623,175
RE-VACCINATION.
Total.
51
11
......
623
685
Successful.
48
......
......
392
440
Grand Total.
118,644
96,251
255,155
155,338
625,388
Percentage of successful
cases.
Primary vac-
cination.
99.70
99.66
99.87
93.20
99.78
Re-vaccination
94.12
......
......
62.92
64.23
Dr. Gupta points out that the work has been very considerable, and that it would have
been greater had it not been for the following circumstances, which proved to be obstacles :—
1.—Paucity of unprotected children in places which had been gone over two or three
times in previous years.
2.—The flood in the districts of Nuddea and Jessore during September, October, and
November.
3.—Loss of time to the vaccinators consequent on the difficulty of realizing their fees.
Operations exceeded those of the previous year by 232,212. The Superintendent
considers the work very satisfactory, especially as it was only the second year of the new
system.
Licensed system.—This system has so far proved successful, though several difficulties
were encountered. Civil and police-officers, with one or two exceptions, rendered little or no
assistance, while the disinclination of the people to pay for protection was not easily over-
come. Great difficulty was experienced in controlling the licensed vaccinators. Withholding
licenses may act as a punitive measure, but it is rendered almost inefficacious when there is
nothing to prevent the offenders from working without licenses. Dr. Gupta again points
out the necessity of some interference with the work of the unlicensed men by the
authorities, and suggests that a fee of Rs. 2 be imposed for every license, and that the money
be paid into the treasury to credit of the department. He states that this payment, while
presenting no bar to men earning from Rs. 200 to Rs, 400 in a season, would act as a check
against unlicensed men. He adopted the practice of taking from vaccinators securities for
their good conduct by making them sign bonds or deposit small sums of money.
The inspecting staff maintained by Government consisted of 39 Inspectors, four Deputy
Superintendents, and one Superintendent.
The Inspectors visited 7,980 villages and verified 396,162 cases. The Deputy Superin-
tendent of the first circle visited 902 villages and inspected 45,991 cases, of the second circle
469 villages and 27,983 cases, of the third circle 675 villages and 61,181 cases, and that of
the fourth circle 230 villages and 19,312 cases.
The Superintendent visited 446 villages and inspected 42,157 cases. Altogether 592,786
cases were inspected by the staff out of the total number of operations, or 94.78 per cent.
The Superintendent inspected some operations in the Burdwan district during his stay there
as Civil Surgeon. After the Doorga Poojah he inspected Hooghly district and continued there
in November. After a short illness he went to Burdwan, and in December returned to Hooghly
and inspected thanas Pundooa and Poleba. Visiting a few villages in thana Baripore in
24-Pergunnahs, he proceeded to the sub-divisions of Chooadangah and Kooshtea in Nuddea.
Towards the end of this month he verified operations in the Diamond Harbour and Alipore
sub-divisions. In January he went to Moorshedabad, Beerbhoom, again to Burdwan, and
to many villages in Bankoora. In February he inspected several sub-divisions in the
24-Pergunnahs and Jessore, and devoted the month of March to the district of Midnapore.
He visited a few villages in the Serampore sub-division towards the end of March.