64
ABSTRACT OF REPORTS BY CIVIL SURGEONS.
These figures indicate a great reduction in the number vaccinated, and unsatisfactory
percentages of primary successful operations for both years. 865 births, or at the rate of
24.88 per 1,000 of population, were registered in this municipality. This figure, compared
with the number of infants vaccinated, gives 24.85 as the percentage of infants vaccinated
to number born. Of Hindus 5 86 per cent. of the population, of Mahomedans 6.91 per cent.,
of Christians 5.18 per cent., and of other races 19.23 per cent., were respectively vaccinated.
The preponderance of the proportion of other races vaccinated is simply due to the smallness
of the population given under this head in the Census Report of 1872. The Civil Surgeon
visited all the villages within the municipality, and found that 932 had been vaccinated—
695 successfully, against 879 operations and 500 successful ones in 1879-80, showing some
progress in inspection work. A circular was sent to the influential natives, asking them
to use their influence in promoting vaccination. This they did. In fact the people, as a
rule, desire to have the members of their families vaccinated The reported deaths from
small-pox in this municipality in 1880-81 amounted to 10, or at the rate of .28 per 1,000 of
population.
6. Serampore.—The general vaccination work in this sub-division was carried on by the
Metropolitan Vaccination Circle; but in the municipalities of Serampore, Baidyabatti and
Bhuddreswar it was performed by two vaccinators on Rs. 10 each, paid from the municipal
funds, of whom one was employed in Serampore throughout the year, and one in the two
other municipalities for four months. The lymph was obtained by sending a child to
Calcutta and getting him vaccinated, after which the virus was kept up by arm-to-arm
vaccination. The subjoined table shows the work of the year as compared with that of
1879-80:—
In 1880-81 ...
In 1879-80 ...
Total number vaccinated.
1,124
1,350
Average number vaccinated by
each vaccinator
560
450
PRIMARY VACCINATIONS
Total.
1,111
1,319
Successful
Under one year.
155
One year and
under six.
687
No data.
Total of all ages.
1,104
1,281
Re-vaccin-
ations
Total.
13
31
Successful.
13
30
Percentages
of success-
ful cases.
Primary
99.4
97.1
Re-vaccination
100.0
96.8
RELIGION OF THE VACCINATED.
Number vaccinated.
Hindus.
1,052
Mahomedans
58
Christians.
9
Other races.
5
Proportion per cent. to
total vaccinated
Hindus.
93.5
Mahomedans.
5.2
Christians
80
Other races
.44
No data.
There was a falling off in the number vaccinated, due, it is said by the Civil-Surgeon, to
many deferring to protect their children on account of marriages and other religious ceremonies,
which took place in large numbers during the months of January and February. The success
that attended the primary operations was satisfactory, but in Baidyabatti the Civil Surgeon
found many ulcerated arms The success that attended the re-vaccinations was unusually high.
Only the Serampore Municipality registers births, and here the births recorded amounted
to 936. The estimated births in all the three municipalities amount to 1,356, and calculated
on this number, the proportion of infants vaccinated to number born comes to only 11.43
per cent. 2.55 per cent. of the Hindu population, 1.40 per cent. of the Mahomedan, 1.58
per cent. of the Christian, and 16.12 per cent. of other races, were respectively operated on.
Here also the population under the last head is abnormally small The total number of oper-
ations seen by the Civil Surgeon in Serampore and Baidyabatti amounted to 371, all of which
were successfully done, against 349 operations, all also successful, in 1879-80. He says
that the people in general are well disposed towards vaccination, that the educated
classes appreciate it, but that a few orthodox Brahmins and some bigotted Mahomedans
still refuse to accept it He reports that the Serampore municipality has been well protect-
ed by an experienced vaccinator, who has worked in the department for upwards of 30 years.
No deaths from small pox were reported to have occurred in these municipalities in
1880-81. At Ooterparah, where the municipality did not employ any vaccinator this
season, the death-rate amounted to 45 per 1,000 of population.
7. Howrah —There are no dispensaries in this district, and the vaccination outside the
Howrah Municipality was performed by the Metropolitan Vaccination Circle The municipal
vaccination, which was originally under charge of Mr. Pilcher, the Civil Surgeon, was
made over by that officer to the Superintendent of Vaccination, Metropolitan Circles, in
January 1881, because he said he had no time to look after it. The work was performed
by three vaccinators,—two on Rs. 10 each and one on Rs. 8—from October to the end
of December 1880, and by the same men with an additional vaccinator on Rs. 12 from
January to 31st March 1881. These vaccinators were respectively attached to the four thanas
of Howrah, Sibpore, Golabari and Bally, which make up the Howrah Municipality, and
their work was supervised by a Native Superintendent on Rs. 15. The total cost for the
working season amounted to Rs. 339-7, giving one anna and 11½ pies for each operation.
Fresh lymph direct from the arm was used, and virus was not kept up, as supplies of