ABSTRACT OF REPORTS BY SUPERINTENDENTS.
13
The licensed vaccinators were made to pay a part of the contingent expenses; next
season Dr. Gupta intends that they should pay all. No expense was incurred in establish-
ing virus : the cost was thrown on the licensed men.
DARJEELING CIRCLE.
The following is an abstract of the annual report of the Darjeeling circle of vaccin-
tion for 1879-80 by Dr. R. Lidderdale, the Superintendent.
Government establishment.—There was no change in the strength of the establishment
during the year. It was made up of one Superintendent, one Deputy Superintendent, seven
native Superintendents, one head vaccinator, 45 vaccinators, and 39 apprentices. From
employment during the hot weather and rains in the suppression of small-pox in Rungpore,
and during the cold season in Julpigoree and the Western Dooars of Bhutan, all suffered
greatly from ill health. Many went to their homes in consequence. One native Superintend-
ent died of fever. The Deputy Superintendent worked hard in spite of much suffering
and prostration from fever and spleen. Dr. Lidderdale thinks him very worthy of some
advancement in the service or increase of pay. Several native Superintendents as well as the
vaccinators under them had to be fined for neglect of duty.
Field of work.—The area taken up for the season's operations comprised the three thanas
of Rungpore constituting the Bagdogra sub-division and thana Forunbari, the district of
Julpigoree with Western Dooars of Bhutan, and that part of Cooch Behar lying west of the
river Teesta. With the permission of the Commissioner of the Rajshahye and Cooch Behar
Division, an attempt was made to protect a small strip of country lying between thana
Putgram of Julpigoree and the Teesta, but it failed from the opposition of the vaccine
establishment employed by the Cooch Behar State. Vaccination was generally accepted
on the tea gardens in the Western Dooars.
Work.—The number of persons vaccinated during the year was 238,035, showing an
excess of 67,049 over that of the previous one. The increase is due to operations having
been carried on throughout the hot weather and rains to control small-pox in Rungpore.
Such a number of operations can hardly be looked for another year in Northern Bengal.
Each vaccinator operated on an average of 5,174.67 persons. 99.13 per cent. were successful
in primary, and 64.65 per cent. in secondary operations. Each successful case cost the
Government one anna and five pie. 2,945 villages were protected, of which 1,266 were in
Rungpore, 1,559 in Julpigoree, and 120 in Cooch Behar.
The percentage of sex, age, and caste in 238,035 persons primarily vaccinated by the
Government establishment is given below:—
Males... ... ... ... ...
Females... ... ... ... ...
Under one year... ... ... ... ...
Above one year... ... ... ... ...
Christians... ... ... ... ...
Hindus... ... ... ... ... ...
Mussulmans... ... ... ... ... ...
Other
castes...
...
...
...
...
...
55.37
44.62
4.67
95.32
.012
51.00
43.17
5.80
The large increase of Hindus over last year is worthy of remark. There is also an
increase in " other castes." To reach these latter, who are jungle men, is very difficult, but
the extent of vaccination introduced among them may be judged from the figure (13,782)
as shown in the return. Females still fall short of the census number considerably. The
average for children under one year is low, but it is incorrect as it was found that owing to
the difficulty of correctly ascertaining the ages of little children the vaccinators entered
those vaccinated on two points (children of three months and under) as under one year,
and all those on four points as over one year. The accurate determination of the ages of
young children involves delay and much discussion, and this the vaccinators avoid.
Darjeeling Hills.—Owing to the state of protection to which this district has been brought
there was a falling off of 2,718 in the number vaccinated. Here vaccination is now
established, and generally accepted by the cultivators and tea-coolies, though some trouble is
experienced in gardens where European supervision is lax. Small-pox was frequently
introduced from both hills and plains, creating small localized outbreaks. Servants following
visitors to the station, employés in offices, &c., at times caused difficulties. The Superintend-
ent thinks that upon the whole, for the safety of the community visiting the sanitarium,
and a continuance of its good name as a health resort and the prosperity of tea cultivation,
it is advisable to extend the Compulsory Vaccination Act to the Darjeeling Hills.
Attitude of the people towards vaccination.—There was very serious opposition expe-
rienced in the plains, and vaccinators were much embarrassed for supplies of lymph, which were
constantly being lost from the refusal of the people to give them from their children's arms.
Opposition in Cooch Behar was more determined than in British territory. At thana
Putgram a zemindar prevented the mohulla in which he lived from being vaccinated when
there was small-pox in it, thereby sacrificing his own and the lives of others to his prejudices
Tours and inspections of the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, and Native Superin-
tendent.—The Superintendent was on tour from the beginning of November till the end of
March, and during the other months, except in July and August, he supervised the hill
vaccinators in the Darjeeling district. He visited 353 villages, of which 317 were in
Julpigoree, 34 in Cooch Behar, and two in Rungpore. He verified 31,930 cases, which
proved a percentage of success of 98.89.