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ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS BY CIVIL SURGEONS.
EASTERN DISTRICTS, DACCA DIVISION.
District of Dacca.
City of Dacca.
Dacca District.—The vaccination of the district has been described in the report of the
proceedings of the Eastern Bengal Circle. No report up to date has been received (though
repeatedly called for) of vaccination in the city of Dacca.
Work done.
Inspection.
Inoculation.
Training
inoculators.
Small-pox.
Fureedpore District.—Vaccination continues to be carried on in this district as described in
previous reports; the number of operations exceeded that of 1873-74 by 661, and of 1872-73
by 1,321. The result of inspection, the civil medical officer affirms, was very good, and highly
creditable to the vaccinator. Inoculation is still largely resorted to " because, " Dr. Bose
writes, " no other and better protection is afforded. " He continues, " I think the time
has come when vaccination should be generally offered to the people, and I would strongly
recommend that this district be taken in hand by the new Dacca Circle in the ensuing cold
season." Dr. Bose has trained one inoculator, and is confident that he could induce
half a dozen others to take up vaccination if they were allowed a small stipend for a season
or two. One hundred and thirteen deaths from small-pox were registered during the year,
due principally to inoculation.
Work done by an
inoculator.
Inoculation and
small-pox.
Goalundo Sub-division.—An inoculator was induced to practise vaccination in this sub-
division. He performed 161 operations with a percentage of success of 91.3. The Civil
Surgeon reports that there was little or no small-pox during the year, and that inoculation
does not appear to be very prevalent.
Vaccination
confined to the
sudder station.
Inspection.
Inoculation.
Training
inoculators.
Backergunge District.—The Civil Surgeon, Dr. L. Cameron, reports that vaccination is not
practised anywhere in this district, except at the sudder station and its vicinity by a Govern¬
ment vaccinator. The number of operations fell short of the previous year owing to the first
supply of lymph having failed. The work was frequently inspected, and was on the whole
satisfactory. The towns-people are said to fully acknowledge the beneficial effects of vaccin-
ation, and readily seek it. Inoculation is extensively practised, especially so in the northern
or Dacca portion. Regarding the training of inoculators, Dr. Cameron writes: " It is pro-
posed to obtain a list showing the names and residences of inoculators to endeavour to induce
them to practise vaccination on the self-supporting principle during the coming season."
Agency.
Character of the
work.
Inoculation.
Training
inoculators.
Small-pox.
Mymensingh District.—There were two vaccinators at work in this district, one attached
to the sudder station, the other to the Attia sub-division; the former is paid by Government,
the latter from local funds. Regarding the operations performed at the sudder station, the
Civil Surgeon writes: " Owing to the straggling nature of the town and neighbouring villages,
and to the apathy of the people, I seldom have an opportunity of verifying the results reported
to me, but I have reason to think that no great reliance can be placed upon them, except
at the jail, where I have weekly inspections." No active opposition is offered to vaccination
by the people; but inoculation, which is very extensively practised, is preferred. One inocu-
lator was trained during the year, and was engaged by the Bazetpore municipality as a vaccin-
ator ; the Civil Surgeon adds: " I expect the example he sets will be followed by others when
they find that inoculation is not encouraged by Government." Here also, as at Backergunge,
the lymph supplied from Calcutta gave very unsatisfactory results. The entire district was
remarkably free from small-pox during the year.
CHITTAGONG DIVISION.
Agency.
Inspection.
Feeling of the
people.
Chittagong District.—One permanent and two temporary vaccinators, all paid by Govern-
ment, were at work in this district; the former limited his operations to the town, the latter
were sent into the district. The Civil Surgeon frequently inspected the town operations, but
was only once able to visit the district vaccinators. On this occasion he inspected some 450
children, of whom 68 per cent. were found thoroughly protected. He adds: " On the whole, I
was fairly satisfied with the quality of the work done." Regarding the attitude of the
people, Dr. Meadows writes:—
I am glad to be able to state that, generally speaking, vaccination is gaining ground in this district;
there is certainly less opposition in the rural districts than formerly : the fact of the people of four villages
requesting a vaccinator to be sent to them is a convincing proof. I should like next season to send out a gang
of three or four good men from village to village, within a certain definite area, to enable me to supervise
their work. The people evidently appreciate my visits of inspection; the children are brought without any
trouble or objection, and with them all the wretched chronic cases of disease come to ask advice and
medicine.
Inoculation.
Small-pox.
Inoculation is still most extensively practised: the inoculators, about 350 in number, are
reported to have been unusually active during the season; " thus accounting for the increased
number of deaths from small-pox."
Chittagong Hill Tracts.—No native of this district could be prevailed upon to learn
vaccination: absolutely nothing was done during the season.
Agency
Plan of work.
Noakholly District.—The vaccine agency consists of one Government and three municipal
vaccinators. After passing quickly through the town and neighbouring villages, which are
reported to be well protected, the vaccinators were directed to proceed into the interior, and
thus extend the protected area. Owing to the lymph supply having failed, it was not till