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make similar efforts and will thereby obtain a similar success. So long as the
ex-inoculators are under instruction, it may be necessary or advisable to give
them a subsistence allowance, and the Lieutenant-Governor will receive favour-
ably proposals to this effect. Once trained, however, they must distinctly
understand that it is to their own exertions that they must look for support,
though in special cases the Lieutenant-Governor will not be unwilling to grant
a bonus to deserving men who have exerted themselves successfully and
whose work has been inspected and approved. It is important that what-
ever funds are available should be devoted to organizing an efficient system
of inspection and control over the work performed by these men. The
experience of successive years has demonstrated the danger of giving them the
support of Government without any security against misconduct on their part.
The present reports contain more than one instance where the work of the staff
of Government vaccinators has been discredited, and where obstacles have been
thrown in their way by the irresponsible action of ex-inoculators whose proceed-
ings have been uncontrolled.
8. In Bankoora, where Dr. Conolly has interested himself very success-
fully in the cause of vaccination, the Lieutenant-Governor has accordingly sanc-
tioned a special establishment to supervise the inoculators whom he has trained,
and, should the system be successful, the Lieutenant-Governor will be glad to
extend it to other districts. It is particularly desirable that the Civil Surgeon
of Beerbhoom should persevere in his endeavours to utilize the ex-inoculators
whom he has already engaged in vaccination. In Midnapore operations were
much interfered with by the epidemic of fever, which prevailed throughout the
season, indisposing the people to vaccination and crippling the staff at the dis-
posal of the Civil Surgeon, whose attention was necessarily much diverted to
the establishment of endemic dispensaries. The Lieutenant-Governor trusts
that in the current season more progress will be possible, and that a fair start
will be given to a system which promises to be self-supporting.
9. During the year under report, small-pox was more than usually preva-
lent in all the circles except the Darjeeling one. It was present in Calcutta
throughout the year, and appeared also in the 24-Pergunnahs and Burdwan. It
was particularly severe in Bankoora, Beerbhoom, and the Sonthal Pergunnahs.
It was also epidemic in Hazareebagh and Lohardugga. Full advantage was
taken of the circumstance to push forward operations, the people accepting
vaccination the more readily when danger is at hand. Vaccinators detached
from the Metropolitan staff protected nearly 10,000 persons in Beer-
bhoom. In Bankoora more than twice that number were protected owing to
the good arrangements made by the Civil Medical Officer. In the Sonthal
Pergunnahs the staff of vaccinators at the disposal of the Deputy Superin-
tendent was found to be quite insufficient. It has now been reinforced by the
transfer of vaccinators from the Metropolitan circle, and will now, it is expected,
fully meet the requirements of the Pergunnahs.
10. The results of the vaccine census, submitted with the present report,
show that vaccination is making steady progress among the juvenile population.
The Lieutenant-Governor has read with interest Dr. Charles' remarks on the
degree of protection from small-pox which has been afforded to Calcutta in the
past season by vaccination.
11. The fact that in several instances outbreaks of small-pox in districts
to which Act IV (B.C.) of 1865 has been extended, were traced to the proceed-
ings of inoculators should render Magistrates sensible of the necessity which
exists for a strict enforcement of the law. The Lieutenant-Governor observes
that the Surgeon-General is of opinion that a clear case has been made out for
the extension of the Act to Bogra and Dacca, and he will be ready to entertain
proposals to this effect on their separate submission. The Act has since the
close of the year been introduced into certain thanas of Jessore, and arrange-
ments for extending it to the Sonthal Pergunnahs are being made.