NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
3
the generality to submit them for vaccination. They entertain a belief that teething is as
much as an infant can endure, and dread any additional fever likely to be consequent on
vaccination.
Of the total number vaccinated 45,008 were successful cases, being a percentage of 92.7. I
believe that this is as near an approximation to truth as possible. Every means have been
taken both by the Deputy Superintendent and myself to test the accuracy and truth of the
men's returns, and in addition they have from time to time been verified by the Collector's
assistance. With one exception they have invariably been found correct.
A great boon has been conferred by Government in sanctioning the sum of one Rupee per
month to each vaccinator for the purpose of conveying fresh matter from village to village.
The old system of trusting to lymph on glass and points was attended with delay and frequent
failure. When vaccinating with dry lymph, even a clever operator could not calculate on
more than one successful case in six. He was obliged therefore on visiting a new village to
wait for a sufficient number of fresh vesicles, and great delay was thus occasioned. There is
no doubt too that the people lost confidence in a great degree, observing several operations
performed followed by no pustules. The case is different now. In every village two or three
children with fresh matter can be easily obtained for a small remuneration, and for the future
unsuccessful cases should invariably be the exception.
I would beg to offer a suggestion as to the advantage of supplying Superintendents of Vac-
cination annually with empty tubes in lieu of the square glasses and ivory points supplied by
the Medical Storekeeper. Vaccinators could be easily instructed in the method of filling
them, and a constant and certain supply of vaccine matter would at all times be available for
transmission to the Presidency and other distant parts.
The Principal Inspector-General's Circular, No. 2037 of 1863, dated 8th September last,
impressing on Superintendents of Vaccination the necessity of bearing in mind the wish of
Government, conveyed in paragraph 4 of Resolution 1131, dated 27th July, has not been lost
sight of, and when travelling through the districts I have been at much pains to try and collect
facts regarding the protective power of vaccination, such as I formerly brought to notice,
sufficiently striking for publication, as yet I have failed in meeting with such ; but in addition
to my own inquiries the Collectors of each district have been written to, and requested to
obtain through the mamlutdars information on the following points :—Whether any remarka-
ble out-break of small-pox took place in any town or village during the year, and if so with
what results. In what proportion death and disfigurement (such as loss of sight) occurred
amongst the vaccinated compared with those unprotected ; the result of this inquiry will
be communicated hereafter.
4
SOUTHERN CIRCLE.
Superintendent.—Assistant
Surgeon F. H. PLUMPTRE.
Establishment.—Twenty-seven
Vaccinators (Government).
Nineteen Vaccinators (Native Chiefs).
Government . .
Native Chiefs . .
YEARS.
1862....
1863....
1862....
1863....
Total
Vaccinated.
30,405
28,680
16,734
15,319
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
....
....
....
Decrease.
....
1,725
....
1,415
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
28,521
26,9.92
14,871
14,288
Percentage
of
Success.
93.8
94.1
88.8
93.3
I regret that the above table presents a falling off in the number vaccinated during the
past year, but there are circumstances which tend to account for this, without implying any
additional opposition to the progress of vaccination, among the population, or special
indolence on the part of the executive staff of the establishment.
The year under review was no ordinary one to be contrasted with, as in the year preceding,
when under the superintendency of Dr. Asher, the number vaccinated amounted to an
increase of 5,014.
The past year has been one of hard trial to the whole establishment from the high prices
of provisions prevailing through all the zillas of this Circle, telling most seriously upon all
classes of public servants receiving rates of pay so low as that of the vaccinators. I have
received during the year numerous letters from members of the establishment, on the diffi-
culties they have had to contend with on this account. This general dearness has led to two
results, both of which would tend materially to interfere with the progress of work.
Many have been obliged to give up keeping a tattoo, and secondly I believe the vaccinators
have been induced to remain longer than they should have done in those localities, which
possessed the attraction of grain selling for a seer or two cheaper than in others. It has
only been by my exercising a strict inquiry on every occasion when returns have been unsatis-
factory, that I have been able to keep up the numbers to what they have been. Under these
circumstances the gross return cannot be regarded as unsatisfactory, for although there is a
decrease as compared with 1862, yet contrasting it with the year preceding that (1861), there
is an increase of 3,289.
I have now to refer to one change which, though not immediately affecting the present
establishment, must be regarded as of the highest importance, and which, to a certain extent,
will influence the future working of the Government vaccinators in this Circle should the
plan be extensively carried out in the other zillahs. I allude to the introduction of the system
of Municipal Commissions employing at their expense vaccinators in their Municipalities. This
was first suggested in paragraph 80 of the Report on vaccination in this Presidency for 1862
by the Principal Inspector-General Medical Department, and further recommended in para-
6
asking him to accompany me to the village. A morning was fixed, and two children with fresh
vesicles sent to the village. On our arrival there, the inhabitants were collected at the Chowdry,
and were addressed by the karbarree and my karkoon on the benefits and nature of vacci-
nation, and within half an hour some forty children were brought forward to be vaccinated, a
result which I much doubt would have been produced, but for my being on the spot ; indeed
during the week I was at Koorundwar, owing to the stimulus it gave the native officials by
my directing the Chief's attention to the subject, nearly as many children were vaccinated in
that time as is usually done in that State in a couple of months.
Some time ago, acting upon a suggestion of His Excellency the Governor in the last Reso-
lution on this subject, I drew up a form of notice or hand bill, containing a simple statement
of facts descriptive of vaccination, such as might easily be understood by the uneducated mass
of the people. This form having been approved of by the Principal Inspector-General Medi-
cal Department, was forwarded by me in the early part of November last to the Oriental
Translator to Government, for the purpose of being translated into Murathee and Canarese,
but in consequence of the great delay in receiving these translations, I have not yet been able
to issue them.
NORTHERN CIRCLE.
Superintendent.—Assistant
Surgeon R. DICK.
Establishment.—Thirty-two
Vaccinators (Government).
Ten Vaccinators (Native Chiefs).
ESTABLISHMENT.
Government ....
Native Chiefs ....
Years.
1862....
1863....
1862....
1863....
Total
Vaccinated.
38,160
49,346
13.746
16,317
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
11,186
....
2,571
Decrease.
....
....
....
....
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
33,915
43,629
11,977
14,156
Percent-
age of
Success.
88.8
88.4
87.1
86.7
The number of operations recorded by the present establishment of 32 Government and 10
Native Chiefs vaccinators in 1863 as shown above, contrasts favourably with their work in
the previous year. During the year just terminated, vacancies and interruptions of work
from sickness have been less frequent and less prolonged than in the preceding one, while more
effectual assistance has been afforded by the village officials in consequence of the strict orders
issued by the Civil authorities, and at the same time several of the vaccinators have worked
with more zeal than formerly. The increase is most marked in the Kaira zilla, and there also
the returns are largest, vaccination being more appreciated than in other parts of the Division,
while more effectual assistance in the way of peons, &c., is afforded. If the same assistance
had been available in other zillas, more especially in Surat, I have no doubt that the exertions
of the vaccinators would have been rewarded with much greater success.
8
to persons having some authority in the village and acquainted with the people; but the
result was such as to convince me of the determination of a large majority of those persons,
especially of the tullatees, to afford no active assistance to this Department. Nearly all neglected
to prepare these lists, and when called to account stated that they had given them to the
vaccinators, or that they were not asked for them, or that the people denied that they had
any unprotected childern, &c. In one instance a tullatee prepared an indiscriminate list of
persons in his village, of whom many had no children, and many had no unprotected children,
while the names of several persons who had unprotected children were omitted. On the
other hand, one vaccinator was much surprised at being supplied with these lists, and also
at receiving active assistance from the patels in several villages where he was working, and
the cause of this it seems was that one patel had been suspended for some months the pre-
vious year for neglecting to make a requisition for the assistance of a vaccinator when small-
pox was prevalent in his village. It is much to be regretted that the difficulty of proving
complaints against patels and tullatees is so great, because occasional punishments induce
these officials to afford active support to the vaccinators, and when this is afforded work
almost invariably goes on satisfactorily, while without it very little progress can be made.
On the 1st January 1863 I was at Sannud, thence I travelled to Verrumgaum and Mandul,
after that through the Palunpoor States, where I visited Sumee, Deodur, Babur, Wan, Deesa,
and Palunpoor. I then travelled southerly through the Mahee Kanta and through Morassa,
and afterwards visited Kuppurwunj, Jeytulpoor, Kaira, Neriad, Napar, and Borsud, examining
the work of the vaccinators in the different districts. During and after the monsoon I
examined the work of the vaccinators in Chorassee and Oolpar, then crossed to Gogo, and
travelling into the Dhundooka district, I examined vaccination in and around Burwalla and
Dholera. I then travelled into the Dholka district, where I was when the year terminated.
In this tour I examined the work of 20 Government and 9 Native Chiefs' vaccinators, some
of the latter had not been inspected for years, and one had never been visited, although he had
been employed for nearly eight years in his district. In verifying their returns I failed to
discover any false names recorded, and although in some cases when examining the children
there was a larger number of persons reported absent by the patels than I could have wished,
still I am satisfied that falsification does not take place to any great extent. The patels seem
frequently to take no trouble in ascertaining the correctness of the numbers in the Form V 2
which they attest, sometimes relying on the vaccinator's statement and at others even signing
the blank form and allowing the vaccinators to fill in the numbers afterwards.
9
SIND DIVISION.
Superintendent.—Assistant
Surgeon J. PINKERTON, M.D.
Establishment.—Fifteen
"Vaccinators (Government).
YEARS.
1862....
1863....
Total
Vaccinated.
42,282
39,443
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
....
Decrease.
....
2,839
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
40,296
37,791
Percent-
age of
Success.
95.3
95.6
The chief reason of the decrease is the same as given in last Report by Mr. Martin, viz :
" The ordinary zillahs of the Province have, during the past six years, been fairly worked
over. Numbers are certainly affected by this circumstance." The death of one of the old
vaccinators, early in the year, has also slightly affected the total of the operations. Four
of the vaccinators were on the sick list for a short time, and their work is less on that account.
To obtain any thing approaching to the high numbers obtained a few years ago, a vaccinator
would require to work much harder, and travel much further than was required in the
earlier years. From the accompanying table it will be seen, that although the number
of towns gone over is greater year by year, the amount of work is less, clearly show-
ing that there are not now so many children available for vaccination as there were
formerly.
TABLE showing the Number of Operations performed, and the Number of Villages
visited, in each Month of the year 1863.
MONTHS.
January ....
February....
March
April
May
June
July
August
September ..
October ....
November ..
December ..
Total....
1860.
a
250
216
233
301
297
197
162
126
141
195
258
249
2,614
b
5,992
5,410
5,884
6,785
6,826
5,810
3,151
2,311
3,233
3,945
4,798
5,423
59,568
1861.
a
306
236
228
214
208
176
261
151
197
210
180
293
2,660
b
5,687
5,605
4,512
3,841
4,608
3,376
4,541
2,947
3,074
3,192
2,507
5,271
49,161
1862.
a
237
288
251
227
193
253
192
211
180
207
220
258
2,717
b
4,669
4,864
4,414
3,789
3,297
4,043
2,812
3,082
2,693
2,498
3,087
3,034
42,282
1863.
a
245
214
181
228
229
227
206
179
214
244
307
247
2,721
b
3,587
2,963
3,322
3,480
3,350
2,869
2,808
2,589
3,145
3,432
4,208
....
39,443
(a) Number of villages visited. (b) Number of children vaccinated.
v 2
12
KATTYWAR CIRCLE.
Superintendent.—Assistant
Surgeon E. R. BUTLER.
Establishment.—Eight
Vaccinators (Government).
Twenty Vaccinators (Native Chiefs).
ESTABLISHMENT.
Government ..
Native Chiefs ..
Years.
1862....
1863....
1862....
1863....
Total
Vaccinated.
5,085
5,415
16,933
15,704
Compared with the
preceding year.
Increase.
....
330
....
....
Decrease.
....
....
....
1,229
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
4,623
4,951
14,953
14,099
Percentage
of
Success.
90.9
91.4
88.3
89.7
For the year 1863 the total vaccinated as per Returns is 21,119, making a decrease on the
year 1862 of 899. The falling off is with the Chiefs' vaccinators, the total by Government
vaccinators shows an increase on last year. I have reason to believe both from ocular
demonstration, and from the numerous complaints made by my assistants that the decrease
is now almost entirely owing to the indifference, laziness, and religion of the people.
Major Keatinge, V. C, Political Agent, Kattywar, has afforded every assistance in his
power. He has written to the Chiefs to request their countenance and assistance, and has had
a copy of last year's report, with the remarks made by His Excellency the Governor,
translated and forwarded to each, whilst he has never failed to impress upon them in con-
versation the necessity of using their influence that the people may be vaccinated. The
Chief of Pulitana, before having his only child vaccinated, had his intention reported about,
to make as much impression as possible, so that many persons might witness the operation,
but without effect ; indeed without force being used, they do not bring their children to be
vaccinated, unless small-pox breaks out, when they readily consent.
I visited as many of the assistant vaccinators' work as I could during the few months I was
in the districts. January and February I was detained in Rajcote on duty—Dr. Johnson, the
only other Medical Officer at Rajkote, having been sent to England on sick leave ; again,
after the rains I was detained by duty till the 8th of November, so that altogether I was only
five months on inspection duty.
Besides visiting the talookas as mentioned above, I had interviews with several Chiefs
for the purpose of persuading them to let vaccination be carried on in their talookas. I am
happy to state, since my visit, the Sajickpore Chief has allowed the Sœla vaccinator to operate
on the children in his villages ; the parents however strongly objected, and at one place—
the second in which the virus was propagated—the parents ran away with their children into
the jungle, when the vaccinator returned to propagate the infection : fortunately by my
explaining and remonstrating, they on the following morning brought back two of the chil-
dren. The Luktur Tarquor has also agreed to entertain a vaccinator.
13
REWA KANTA CIRCLE.
Superintendent.—Assistant
Surgeon A. W. G. ADEY.
Establishment.—Five Vaccinators (Government).
Seven Vaccinators (Native Chiefs).
ESTABLISHMENT.
Government ..
Native Chiefs ..
Years.
1862....
1863....
1862....
1863....
Total.
Vaccinated.
1,923
3,002
4,671
4,089
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
1,079
....
....
Decrease.
....
....
....
582
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
1,643
2,714
4,005
3,614
Percent-
age of
Success.
87.5
90.4
85.7
88.4
It will be seen that while there has been an increase in the number vaccinated in the Punch
Mahals during this year over the last, there has been a considerable decrease in the Rewa
Kanta. This is partly attributable to there having been fewer assistant vaccinators employed
this year than there were in 1862. Last year in Rajpeepla, according to Dr. Dick's return,
there were five vaccinators employed by the Raja, while this year he has only employed three.
In Oodeypoor for nearly two months the vaccinator was sick, and in October he went away
without leave of absence, and has not since returned.
In Sunkera the Native Chief refused in August last to pay anything whatever for carrying
on vaccination, the assistant vaccinator was consequently discharged. Sunkera therefore has
not been included in this year's returns. The districts inspected by me this year have been
Dohud, Jhallode, part of Godra, and part of Rajpeepla. I went in April with the late Assistant
Political Agent to Soanth and Ranapore, and endeavoured to induce the Raja of Soanth to
entertain an assistant vaccinator, but he declined.
In Dohud and Jhallode, and contiguous districts, the country is hilly, and the villages—
inhabited mostly by Bheels—are small and widely scattered, and in the hilly parts especially
some difficulty is found in inducing the Bheels to submit to vaccination. The assistant
vaccinator is more successful in those villages where a few Rajpoots are located with the
Bheels. In Godra, a more thickly populated district, most villages contain a considerable
number of Rajpoots and Koonbies, and no complaint is made of difficulty by the assistant
vaccinator. There is of course in Rajpeepla and all other hilly places the same difference
in their appreciation of vaccination between the hill Bheels and those of the plains.
14
PEYNT (NASSICK).
One Vaccinator under Sub-Assistant Surgeon SUMMERS.
YEARS.
1862....
1863....
Total
Vaccinated.
148
305
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
157
Decrease.
....
....
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
100
177
Percentage
of
Success.
67.5
58.0
It is satisfactory to report that the assistant vaccinator who joined the Peynt State in
June 1862, has shown much zeal in the performance of vaccination during the past 12
months ; the excess in the total number vaccinated the past, compared with the previous
year, amounts to 157, of the total number vaccinated 128 are shown in the return as
unsuccessful, for which no cause is assigned in the vaccinator's Muratha report. The
people in the district are desirous of availing themselves of the benefit of vaccination, but
averse to bring the children to show the result.
15
VACCINATION UNDER CIVIL SURGEONS.
TANNA.
Assistant Surgeon J. G. ASHER, M. D.
YEARS.
1862....
1863....
Total
Vaccinated.
38
71
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
33
Decrease.
....
....
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
9
61
Percentage
of
Success.
23.7
85.9
The work returned for last year has been accomplished through the agency of the Civil
Hospital Establishment, and is satisfactory in results though far from so in quantity.
Whenever I can see a chance of succeeding, I shall attempt to have a special vaccinator for
the town entertained by the Municipality, and by this means perhaps such indirect sanction
and support of vaccination by the more influential natives, who constitute Municipal Commis-
sioners, may not be without its small effect for good.
POONA.
One Vaccinator under the Civil Surgeon, Surgeon R. G. LORD, M. D. (Acting.)
YEARS.
1862....
1863....
Total
Vaccinated.
1,832
1,918
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
86
Decrease.
....
....
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
1,535
1,587
Percentage
of
Success.
83.7
82.7
The assistant vaccinator appears from his reports to have carried on work regularly and
diligently for the past year. There is a trifling increase in the total numbers operated on, and
in the proportion of female children, though why the latter should be so many less than the
males, I am at a loss to understand. In former days, if occurring in a Rajpoot State, it
might be looked upon as indicative of the practice of female infanticide, but in Poona no such
cause can be supposed to exist, and there must be some disinclination on the part of parents
to submit female children to the operation.
16
AHMEDNUGGUR.
One Vaccinator under the Civil Surgeon, Surgeon J. G. FRASER, M. D.
YEARS.
1862....
1863....
Total
Vaccinated.
1,240
1,260
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
20
Decrease.
....
....
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
1,010
1,017
Percentage
of
Success.
81.4
80.7
During the year 1863 as compared with the preceding year 1862 there has been an increase
of 20 persons vaccinated, the total number of vaccinations being 1,260, there has also been
an increase of 7 in the number of successful cases, the percentage of success being very
nearly the same as for the preceding year 1862. The decrease during the year 1862 as compared
with the preceding year 1861 was accounted for by the great prevalence of cholera from the
month of March to the month of June 1862, and the increase for the year embraced in the
present report may be similarly accounted for by the absence of cholera during almost the
whole year 1863 ; very few cases of small-pox having occurred within the same period, either in
the city of Nuggur or its immediate neighbourhood.
SATTARA.
One Vaccinator under the Civil Sugeon, Asst. Surgeon H. V. CARTER, M.D. (Acting.)
YEARS.
1862....
1863....
Total
Vaccinated.
1,435
3,832
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
2,397
Decrease.
....
....
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
1,265
2,924
Percentage
of
Success.
88.1
76.3
The above table includes the whole of the past year. It shows a very large increase indeed
on the numbers of previous and some late years (amounting to upwards of 60 per cent. in the
former) and may be regarded as furnishing satisfactory evidence of the efficiency of the
assistant vaccinator as well as of the desire of the people to partake of the advantages held
out to them in preventing sickness. The report of my predecessor, which is here included,