64
ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS FROM CIVIL SURGEONS.
rendered every assistance, an167d influential natives were also invited to assist. Two
thousand two hundred and seventy-seven persons are said to have been vaccinated, against
1,114 of the previous year, of whom 1,981 were successful. The work in the sudder station
and its immediate neighbourhood was inspected once or twice every week, but that in the
sub-division only once during the season. The people of the district are opposed to vaccination.
Inoculation is largely practised in the interior. Notice was sent to all the police thanas,
inviting inoculators to come forward and learn vaccination, but none came. Small-pox
was prevalent in the district, but it did not assume an epidemic form during the year.
Debrooghur
district.
Debrooghur district.—Mr. Curran, civil surgeon, reports that four vaccinators were
employed during the year on Rs. 10 a month; they worked from November to April. They
commenced their operations first in the station, and then extended to the villages and tea
gardens all round up to nine miles. They also worked in the sub-division of Jaipore where
small-pox broke out, and vaccinated some 400 persons, including the semi-savage Nagas and
others. The civil surgeon himself went there, and Lieutenant Holcombe, the Assistant Com-
missioner, induced the people to accept vaccination by his own example. Two thousand one
hundred and twenty-three persons are said to have been vaccinated, of whom 1,848 were
successful. Mr. Curran, inspected almost every village and tea garden. Crusts were used, and
many cases were done in his presence. Not much opposition was met with; and where the
people refused when the vaccinators went alone, the civil surgeon's presence afterwards succeeded
in rendering them willing to submit to the operation. No inoculation was heard of in
the district during the year. No information as regards the prevalence of small-pox in the
district was obtainable.
Luckhimpore.
Luckhimpore district.—At the north Luckhimpore dispensary the hospital assistant
vaccinated 77 persons, of whom 40 were successful.
Khasi and
Jynteah Hills.
Shillong district, Khasi and Jynteah Hills.—Dr. Reed was in charge up to 20th November,
when he was relieved by Dr. O'Brien, who submits the reports. He states that there were two
Government vaccinators paid Rs. 12 each throughout the year. They were sent to different
large villages in the hills with letters from the deputy commissioner to the headmen or chiefs,
requesting them to assist the vaccinators in every way. The area of operations was chiefly
confined to large villages of Cheera, Jowai, and Shillong. The civil surgeon saw most of the
successful cases about Shillong, and a large number of those at Cheera and Jowai, which he
visited in March. Nine hundred and twenty-eight persons were vaccinated ; 697 or 75.1
per cent., were successful. The people are reported to be either hostile or apathetic. The
chiefs, though written to by the deputy commissioner, lent little or no assistance, some offered
passive resistance. Inoculation is not practised. The hillmen are as much opposed to inocul-
ation as to vaccination; small-pox did not prevail greatly.
Garo Hills.
Garo Hills.—Mr. Ferris, civil surgeon, reports there were four vaccinators on Rs. 10
each, paid by Government; they worked from October to March. These men had received
education at the Goalpara mission school, and been baptised. The vaccinators received a
thorough training. There was no area defined for want of maps. The men were sent out
in couples, to wander from village to village and operate on willing people. No pressure was
used. The Garos will only permit the insertion of lymph in one spot and not in three or
four, thereby lessening the chance of success. The civil surgeon visited the vaccinators'
work three times. The villages were visited in turn, and all the persons assembled and
examined individually Seven hundred and eighty-four persons are said to have been
vaccinated, against 264 in the previous year, of whom 738, or 94.1 per cent. were
successful. The Garos are willing enough to be vaccinated, but they put obstacles in the way
by certain customs peculiar to them. No inoculation exists among the Garos in the interior,
but near Goalpara they permit it The mortality from the practice is said to be very great—
10 per cent. The Garos have often been scourged by small-pox. In the middle of March
three villages were attacked almost simultaneously: eight deaths have occurred by the
latest advice.