ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS BY SUPERINTENDENTS.
21
Dr. Gupta is localizing his vaccinators strictly. This will have a good effect in restricting the
work within defined areas, so that the people will know easily where to apply for vaccination
when they desire it. In order to obviate the great difficulty that was experienced in control-
ling the licensed vaccinators, a plan was adopted this year of requiring each vaccinator to
deposit Rs. 16 as security for good conduct, and to execute an ekrarnamah (deed of agree-
ment) binding himself to work according to the rules and regulations of the Department
under a penalty for disobedience and misconduct. The Superintendent reports that men
without licenses yet practise vaccination and charge fees. This was done extensively in
Burdwan, Midnapore, Jessore, &c. An instance in point is given of some Hindustani tikaits
coming from Singbhoom and Manbhoom having nominally vaccinated people in many
villages in thanas Bheempore, Jhargram, Salboni, and Gurbetta in the summer, whose oper-
ations were generally failures, as they used only crusts. The evils of this practice are
rightly stated by the Superintendent to be very great. The men might use bad lymph, or
even small-pox matter, by which the disease may break out among the badly vaccinated and
thus cause vaccination to be discredited; and their work, being under no supervision or check,
is liable to be of the worst quality. Moreover, the Vaccination Department loses the subjects
thus operated on, and its work is consequently reduced to a lower number of vaccinations, and
the licensed vaccinators suffer in their earnings. The Superintendent again calls for the
interference of Government to put a stop to this evil. This is an important point, and
although the Government might not deem it expedient to interfere, yet these men should
be discouraged in every possible way. The effect of such work is well shown in the frequent
outbreaks of small-pox in Dinagepore, which was overrun by this class of operators. The
people, it is said, entertain a notion that a child whose arms have been once scratched with
a lancet is vaccinated and protected against small-pox for life, so that proposals for re-
vaccination are not listened to by its parents. To combat this notion the Superintendent
availed himself of every opportunity to tell the people that unless a child bears good and
typical vaccine marks or cicatrices it must be revaccinated.
The Superintendent has submitted with his report a map showing the areas in his
circle that have been efficiently, partially, and less than half, vaccinated. I regret
that want of time has prevented my having it lithographed and appended to my report,
for such documents are very useful as illustrating the condition as to protection of the
ground gone over, and the progress of work, and as serving as guides for future operations.
From Dr. Gupta's map I gather that in the Midnapore, Howrah, and Bankoora districts
there are still large parts of thanas which were less than half vaccinated in previous years
and remain so this year; that in Beerbhoom there are five thanas which have only been
partially vaccinated this year ; and that Jessore, too, shows similar areas It must be remem-
bered, however, that Midnapore and Bankoora were added to the Metropolitan Circles with-
out ever having been gone over by a paid Government establishment ; but I did not expect
to find such areas in Burdwan, which has so long been included in this sphere of work.
Source and character of lymph. Virus
how kept up.
24. At the commencement lymph in tubes was tried to start work with, but as it
generally failed vaccinifers were taken from Calcutta and
virus maintained by arm-to-arm vaccination.
Distribution of the work.
25. The manner in which the work of the working season was distributed among the
staff employed to carry it out was the same as in the preced-
ing year. The information is tabulated below:—
Sub-divisions
of the general
circle.
1st Circle...
2nd Do. ...
3rd Do. ...
4th Do.
Under whose charge.
Deputy Superintendent Rai
Ram Soonder Ghose Baha-
door.
Deputy Superintendent Bud-
dinath Brummoh.
Deputy Superintendent Rai
Jadub
Chunder Ghose
Bahadoor.
Deputy Superintendent Dur-
ga Nanda Sen.
Areas embraced in each
sub-circle.
Jessore...
...
...
...
Hooghly... ... ... ...
24-Pergunnahs (north) ...
Total...
Nuddea...
...
...
Moorshedabad... ... ...
Bamporehat, in Beerbhoom
Total...
Burdwan... ... ...
Beerbhoom ... ... ...
Howrah...
...
...
24-Pergunnahs (south)... ...
Total...
Bankoora...
...
...
Midnapore... ... ... ...
Total...
GRAND TOTAL...
Number of inspec-
tors employed
11
11
11
11
11
11
6
6
39
Number of vaccin-
ators employed.
70
13 25
108
38
29
67
32
22
14
39
107
41
67
108
390
NUMBER OF VILLAGES,
AND OPERATIONS PER-
FORMED IN EACH AREA.
Villages.
1,770
289
579
2,638
825
734
200
1,763
1,125
303
334
1,031
2,793
899
1,831
2,730
9,924
Operations.
85,170
5,689
19,612
110,371
28,070
20,103
4,779
58,952
42,472
22,451
13,752
34,615
113,290
29,247
72,356
101,603
384,216
f