( 4 )
training. 39,045 persons were vaccinated, and at the close of the year ten of the
apprentices were discharged with certificates of qualification to practise. In
Bankoora five inspecting and head vaccinators were entertained, who supervised
the operations of seventy-four ex-inoculators already at work in this district.
In all 37,435 persons were vaccinated, and a very large proportion of the cases
were successful. In Manbhoom, similarly, seventy-five ex-inoculators were at
work under inspection and vaccinated 26,872 persons; the percentage of success-
ful cases was not, however, so good as in Bankoora. In Singbhoom fourteen
ex-inoculators vaccinated 2,235 persons. In the Sonthal Pergunnahs two
apprentices were trained, and seventy-five ex-inoculators vaccinated 57,722
persons. In the Bhagulpore district three ex-inoculators vaccinated 3,973
persons. In Monghyr ten apprentices were placed under training, five of
whom finally obtained certificates of competency. One hundred and ninety
ex-inoculators are also said to have been employed, who vaccinated 21,063 persons.
In Chumparun forty-nine ex-inoculators vaccinated 2,123 children. These results
are encouraging. It is unfortunately clear, however, that all the civil surgeons con-
cerned have not taken the same amount of interest in the matter. Bhagulpore,
situated between the Sonthal Pergunnahs and Monghyr (where the scheme,
ably and intelligently worked, has met with signal success), is conspicuous for
comparative failure. That the civil surgeon is not blameless in the matter is
apparent from the fact that he does not appear to have put any apprentices
under training. The same remark applies to the Civil Surgeon of Singbhoom,
where the percentage of successful cases was unusually small. In Midnapore
and Bankoora the success attained is in consonance with the results achieved in
previous years by civil surgeons who have exhibited a real interest in their
work.
14. Briefly stated, the result of the experiment was this, that in eight
districts no less than 178,032 persons were successfully vaccinated at an aggregate
cost to Government of Rs. 3,311 only, or on the average at a cost of just one
quarter of an anna per case. As noted above, these results do not at all repre-
sent what might have been achieved had all the officers worked with equal zeal
and interest.
15. The conclusion to which the Lieutenant-Governor has arrived on the
whole question is that the time has now arrived when he must make
it distinctly understood that where districts have been once gone over and
thoroughly protected by the circle establishments, the civil surgeons of districts
must be held responsible for organizing establishments of independent practi-
tioners with a view to maintain vaccination in the protected areas. There are
many districts, chiefly those in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, where
there can be no excuse for not now making vaccination self-supporting.
Inoculation has been prohibited, and the people are said to be willing to receive
vaccination. The Lieutenant-Governor therefore requests that the Surgeon-
General will report which districts he would now recommend should be
formally withdrawn from the vaccination circles and made over to the exclusive
care of the civil surgeons. There are other districts also where, although the
ground has not yet been gone over by circle vaccinators, it is plain that,
by energy and perseverance, much might be done by the civil surgeons.
Pubna is among this number.
16. It is noticeable that frequent complaints appear to have been made
of the character of the lymph supplied. It is not stated where this was pro-
cured in every case, but generally it would seem to have been sent from
Calcutta. It is absolutely necessary that every possible care should be taken
that all establishments in the mofussil are supplied with an ample stock
of lymph, and that this should be of undoubtedly good quality. The
Lieutenant-Governor wishes to be informed in future what measures have
been taken with a view to maintain a proper supply of lymph, and in particular
as to whether satisfactory arrangements could not be made for supplying all
other districts from Darjeeling.