FOR THE YEAR 1878-79.
11
instances as examples of such satisfactory working. This fact has been proved to demon-
stration and admits of no denial. I am so impressed with the necessity for such a step to be
taken, and so much afraid that the point may be passed by unnoticed by the Government
through inadvertence, that I trust I may not be deemed unnecessarily urgent when I ven-
ture to solicit a distinct intimation from the Government that this suggestion has met with
the consideration for which I crave."
" Besides this point, while asking for a reconsideration of my report on the stamping out
of small-pox as a whole, I would also beg for particular attention being given to section VII,
page 14, in which I direct attention to the obvious necessity that exists for the destruction of
bedding, clothing, and other articles saturated with small-pox poison, and take up kindred
points in relation to the spread of small-pox by other carriers of contagion. At present not
a vestige of restraint on such matters is insisted upon, and the loss of life caused by the
absence of these restrictions may be justly styled as appalling."
I had requested that the Annual Reports of Superintendents might be short, and
Dr. Charles, whose report extends to 59 pages, has in several passages alluded to this restriction
as hampering him in writing. I have therefore informed him that I shall be prepared to
submit to Government a report of any length he choses, in order that his views may be
fully expanded as to the recent epidemic of small-pox in Calcutta.
The following is an abstract of the Eleventh Annual Report of the Metropolitan Circles
for the year ending 31st March 1879, which was received in my office on the 16th May.
Budget allotment.—The budget grant for the Metropolitan Circles having been reduced
from Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 31,500, the establishment of paid vaccinators was abolished from
October last, and licensed vaccinators were substituted, who during the recess received only
half-pay and during the working season gained their livelihood solely from the people, charg-
ing them the authorized fee of two annas per head for successful operations. For supervision
24 Inspectors, 4 Deputy Superintendents, and 1 Superintendent were maintained during
the non-working season.
Recess.—Twenty vaccinators and 3 Deputy Superintendents were put under Dr. Charles,
small-pox having been very severe in Calcutta. A number of vaccinators under one
as head were also kept for more than two months at Raneegunge, and others were sent
from the town into the districts as occasion required. 9,078 operations were performed during
the recess.
Working season.—At the commencement of the working season, the Dusserah native
festival retarded progress for the time. The payment by the people of the authorized fees
which they wished to avoid by refusing vaccination, and sickness among them as well as
among the vaccinators, greatly interfered with the work.
The 1st Metropolitan Circle was thus divided: in Nuddea and Jessore four-sixths of the
number of vaccinators were employed, and two-sixths in Busseerhat and Satkerah sub-
divisions in the 24-Pergunnahs. 91 licensed men formed the number, and they visited 2,180
villages and vaccinated 108,573 persons. The Deputy Superintendent inspected 61,208 and
the Superintendent 5,047, being altogether 61 per cent. Besides this a number, being
recruited from the local ex-inoculators of Jessore, worked under a local inspector and under the
supervision of the Deputy Superintendent in thanas Keshubpore, Doomin Delootee, and in
parts of two or three others. 180 villages were visited, and 22,143 persons vaccinated by them.
In the 2nd Metropolitan Circle forty-eight licensed men were employed who, working
in the districts of Nuddea and Jessore, visited 1,283 villages and vaccinated 60,682 persons.
Of this number, the Duputy Superintendent inspected 24,545 and the Superintendent 8,899,
or altogether 55 per cent.
In the 3rd Metropolitan Circle seventy men were employed to carry on vaccination in
the Howrah, Burdwan, and Moorshedabad districts. They visited 2,717 villages and vaccin-
ated 134,029 persons, of whom the Deputy Superintendent inspected 28,220 and the
Superintendent 7,666, or altogether 26 per cent. Besides this, a number of vaccinators not
attached to any circle worked in the Serampore sub-districts under the supervision of an
unpaid Inspector who received a commission from them. They visited 192 villages and
vaccinated 5,041 persons, their work having been inspected by the Superintendent.
The 4 th Metropolitan Circle confined itself to the districts of Midnapore and Ban-
koora and consisted solely of local ex-inoculators superintended by 4 Inspectors and 1
Deputy Superintendent, at a cost of Rs. 2,185. Fifty-two licensed vaccinators worked and
visited 2,025 villages. They vaccinated 72,429 persons, of whom the Inspectors saw 28,463,
the Deputy Superintendent 21,225, and the Superintendent 8,265, or 79 per cent. The
protection conferred has been partial, many villages remaining unprotected. In the
beginning of October last an inspector, having been sent from Calcutta to the Bankoora
district, endeavoured, in conjunction with the local inspectors, to induce the local ex-inocu-
lators to begin work but without effect.
They, however, got six Hindustani tikaits
of Purulia to commence, but very many villages had not been visited by them when
the local inoculators appeared and opposed them. The Hindustani tikaits were then sent
to thana Gungajulghattee were they visited 96 villages and vaccinated 7,430 persons.
Some ex-inoculators worked in thanas Bishtopore and Bankoora. Altogether 33 men
worked and visited 226 villages, vaccinating 17,096 persons.
Stamping out small-pox. During the hot weather 1,375 vaccinations were performed in
connection with the stamping out of small-pox. The Inspector saw 10,920 cases.