ABSTRACT OF REPORTS BY SUPERINTENDENTS.
15
was discredited also by 18 cases of small-pox occurring in persons said to have been vaccin-
ated by dispensary vaccinators, and the Government men were consequently taunted.
This matter has been brought to the notice of the Civil Surgeon of Rungpore. An
inoculator, who was detected working in thana Borobari, into which had been introduced
the law against inoculation, absconded to Assam, but it is not known what steps were taken
by the Magistrate to punish him.
The disease spread from these thanas as a centre to others in the district, and the
Inspectors of licensed vaccinators and the native Superintendents reported 5,047 cases and a
mortality per cent of 9.84.
Small-pox spread from Rungpore into Dinagepore, producing local outbreaks.
Here, in thana Beerganj, the Inspectors reported that some old inoculators, having been
called by the people to treat the sufferers, took the small-pox scabs and put them into the
village wells to infect the villages and spread the disease so that they might have a
greater number of patients to treat. The Deputy Superintendent was ordered to inquire
into this, but he did it in a perfunctory way, so that there is doubt as to the truth or other-
wise of the statement.
The Inspectors of licensed vaccinators reported 140 cases with a mortality of 13.57
per cent.
Julpigoree received the infection extensively, but a severe epidemic here was averted
by its having been the scene of vaccine operations during the past season. It lingered on
to the end of March. The native Superintendent reported 586 cases in 23 villages with
a mortality per cent. of 12.79.
Seven fatal cases were reported from Bogra, and 16 cases, of which four were fatal, from
Rajshahye by the Inspectors of licensed vaccinators.
The police of Darjeeling reported eight fatal cases in that district, but others occurred
which were not fatal. Of the eight, three were said to have been vaccinated, two by a native
doctor at Soory in 1858, and one by a native doctor in the Public Works Department. The
Civil Surgeon of Maldah reported 184 cases with a mortality of 14.67 per cent.
In all the affected districts within the Darjeeling circle the civil authorities reported
8,144 cases with a mortality of 27 46 per cent., while the Vaccination Department inquired
into 5,796 cases and found 10.38 per cent. of deaths. This great difference in the mortality
is partly accounted for by fatal cases being reported more than once at the police-stations,
and by the Inspectors and native Superintendents, after once examining a village, getting
no information of the result in most cases of those they saw alive and suffering at the time
of their inspections.
No case of small-pox was heard of after vaccination on four points was done by a Govern-
ment vaccinator In the villages attacked some had been partly inoculated, others partly
vaccinated : in some inoculation and vaccination had both been practised, but in many the
inoculation was of such old date that they were returned as unprotected. It was noted in
1,055 attacked that 88 had been inoculated and 18 vaccinated from one to 50 years before.
The outbreak in Northern Bengal was severe, but the districts of Bogra, Rajshahye,
Dinagepore, and the southern parts of Rungpore, forming the protected part of the Darjeeling
circle, were only mildly affected. The Superintendent states that it was found that the self-
supporting system of vaccination can keep the disease in check over large areas of country.
Some means of segregation of patients and disinfection or destruction of polluted clothing
are very necessary.
RANCHEE CIRCLE.
The report of this circle for the past season was written by Assistant Surgeon
Kally Das Bose, who took officiating charge of the department from Dr. J. J. Wood
in the end of March last, the close of the working season. Dr. Wood was in charge from
8th October 1879, and before him was Dr. D. Basu.
Government establishment.—The permanent establishment consisted of one Superintend-
ent, three native Superintendents, 20 vaccinators, one clerk, and one peon. Besides these, one
Inspector and 19 vaccinators were temporarily engaged and dispensed with at the close of the
season, one of the native Superintendents was punished for disobedience of orders, one
vaccinator was fined, four resigned, and two were dismissed ; the rest of the establishment
worked satisfactorily.
Non-working season.—During this period lymph was kept up at Purulia and Hazaribagh,
and two vaccinators were deputed to Palamow to stamp out small-pox. One thousand
eight hundred and fourteen vaccinations were performed, of which 1,549 were successful.
Working season.—On account of the Doorga Poojahs the work had not begun till the
middle of November. Of the 39 vaccinators 38 formed four parties, while one was placed
in the municipal area of Ranchi town.
Ten men under the Inspector worked in pergunnahs Khasbail and Borobhoom in the
Manbhoom district. They visited 817 villages and performed 21,211 vaccinations, of which
19,788 were successful, or 98 00 per cent. Of these 8,923 were verified by the Inspector
with a success of 95.57 per cent. Another party of eight men under a native Superintend-
ent worked in the Dhalbhoom estate in the Singbhoom district, and from thence proceeded
to the Seraikela estate and continued there to the end of the season. They visited 248
villages and vaccinated 9,723 persons, 8,476 successfully, or 87.17 per cent. Of this number
the native Superintendent verified 5,048 cases with a success of 92.67 per cent.