ABSTRACT OF REPORTS BY SUPERINTENDENTS.
55
On this point the Commissioner of the Division remarks that there would be no objection
to a notice being issued by the Magistrate to the effect that vaccination is solely intended
to protect the people from small-pox, or that perhaps the best course is to leave rumours-
of this sort to die out when the people see that they come to nothing. The Superintendent
also notes that some parents entertain a doubt about the prophylactic influence of vaccin-
ation, on the ground that no eruptions similar to those of inoculated small-pox appear on
the body of their vaccinated children, such eruptions being considered as the only sure
sign of future protection. He explained to them that notwithstanding the absence of the
desired eruptions vaccination is as successful in affording pretection as inoculation without
the dangers that attend the latter.
The Civil Surgeon of Cuttack reports that he visited the Pattamundi sub-circle without
any previous notice, and found that the vaccinators were present, and that really good
vaccine vesicles had been raised on the unprotected who had received vaccination.
The Superintendent, instead of going into camp with his men at the beginning of the
season and remaining with them, only appears to have visited them much according to his
own convenience. In November he was with them only nine days out of the month,
excusing himself for remaining in Cuttack till the 13th, on the ground that there was little
work to be inspected, and returning there on the 20th on account of the arrival of his
family, as if during the seven recess months there was not ample time to have arranged about
their coming. If this Superintendent would understand that his business comprises much
more than the checking of his vaccinators' returns, we should hear less of the opposition to
vaccination in Orissa. Good class natives would, no doubt, accept vaccination readily if its
benefits were explained to them by the responsible officer. To send a vaccinator to a zemin-
dar's house without previous notice or information, and to expect vaccination to be received
in ignorant backward districts, is only to invite failure. Even when small-pox breaks out,
the Superintendent seems never to trouble himself to go to the affected localities. From
the 13th of November to the 31st of March he was only, as before shown, 97 days away
from Cuttack, and too many of this small number of days were uselessly spent in going and
returning. This plan of inspection is also very faulty. He goes to one place, where he
remains perhaps a fortnight, and passes all this time merely revolving round one small
centre. If the operations have spread over any extended area, the best part of his time
must be spent in going from and returning to the place he lodges at. He should have a
camp and move it from place to place, wherever his men are working. His statement that he
has travelled over 1,858 miles proves the inefficiency of his mode of conducting his inspections.
Cost of vaccination.
133. The total expenditure incurred for vaccination amounted to Rs. 5,841-13-9, which
come to two annas and one pie for each successful operation,
against the same rate per case in 1879-80.
Inoculation.
134. Inoculation is practised almost throughout the whole of Orissa, as the law pro-
hibiting it is not in force in any part of it except the Balasore
town. But it is said that in places where vaccination has
been introduced during the last six years' inoculation is on the decline, as most of the people
appear to recognize the advantages of vaccination and its efficacy as a prophylactic.
The Superintendent believes that the time has now arrived for the introduction of
Act IV (B.C.) of 1865, prohibiting inoculation, into some parts of the district of Cuttack,
" especially in those localities where vaccination has been introduced during the last five
or six years, and where the people no longer entertain any doubts about its efficiency in
affording future protection " Of such localities he selects the sub-division of Kendrapara
as the first area in which the law should be enforced. He is of opinion that the prohi-
bition of inoculation would not only serve to advance vaccination, but would also induce
the inoculators to give up their trade and take to vaccination, as so long as the prohibitory
law is not in force it would be almost impossible to induce the inoculators to work on the
licensed system. He says that even now many of the inoculators are willing to work as
paid vaccinators, but that it is impossible to take all of them into service. The Civil
Surgeon supports the Superintendent's recommendation in this matter, but would introduce
the law only into the municipalities of the district, and he thinks that if the law could be
enforced without difficulty in the Balasore town there is no reason why it should not be brought
into operation in the Cuttack town also, where the people have had at least equal oppor-
tunities of becoming acquainted with the superiority of vaccination over inoculation. The
Commissioner of Orissa, after considering the remarks of the Superintendent about inocu-
lation declining as vaccination is progressing—about those who, having enjoyed the benefits
of vaccination, have given up their prejudices and superstitions against vaccination—and about
the higher classes still offering much resistance to vaccination, and regarding inocula-
tion as a part of their religious institutions—is not prepared to advise the prohibition
of inoculation in any of the rural portions of Orissa; but he agrees with the Civil
Surgeon that the prohibitory law may be brought into operation in the municipal
towns without much difficulty, as the intelligence of the people in them is more advanced.
I agree with the Commissioner and the Civil Surgeon that the law should be enforced in
all the municipalities in Orissa; but I also think that it should be gradually extended
to the mofussil thanas as soon as licensed vaccination has been arranged for. In
January 1881 this law was enforced in the Poori town.
Attitude of the people towards vaccin-
ation.
135. As before stated, most of the people prefer vaccination to inoculation, except in
places where vaccination has not yet been brought into oper-
ation. Continued epidemics of small-pox appear to have done
much in removing their prejudices and opposition. The