7
The proportion of successful cases is rather lower than in the previous year, but as new
lymph has been introduced over a great part of the Circle, and I hope will soon be dissemi-
nated over the whole, I anticipate great improvement in the result in future years. As far
as I can learn, all previous attempts to renew the lymph in Guzerat have failed, and there-
fore that in use up to the present time must have been in course of transmission from subject
to subject for more than forty years, so that now a fair opportunity is afforded by comparing
the two kinds to form an opinion as to whether vaccine lymph does or does not degenerate
in the course of years. In the case of the old lymph failures are frequent, the vesicles are
small, many of them ill developed, and contain a scarcely appreciable quantity of lymph and
leave cicatrices which not unfrequently disappear entirely or nearly so in a few years, whilst
in the other case failures are rare, the vesicles are large, perfect in appearance, and contain
abundance of lymph, and leave scars which promise to last for life. Some cicatrices of ten or
twenty years standing which I have seen in Guzerat are much more distinct than those of late
years, and I am therefore inclined to think that deterioration has taken place principally
during the last few years. Whether the prophylactic power of the virus has been impaired
is a question which can be decided only by observation, but I fear that in this respect the
result will prove less satisfactory than would be desirable. Statistics show that to confer
the utmost possible immunity from small-pox well marked permanent cicatrices are essential ;
and they also seem to show that the degree of protection is in direct proportion to the
quantity of lymph, or at all events to the number of perfect vesicles that have formed, for
four vesicles confer more perfect immunity than three, three than two, or two than one.
No instance of inoculation came to my knowledge during the year, but J have just received
information (February 1864) from which it appears that this system is being practised at
present in Bulsar purgunna. That this practice is the favourite in that district seems pro-
bable from the extreme unwillingness of the people to accept vaccination: this they manifest
by concealing their children, by deserting their dwellings, when the vaccinator visits them,
and they occasionally resort to measures of intimidation by reminding him of the beatings
which other vaccinators suffered when employed in the district. The bias of the villagers for
vaccination or inoculation depends in a great measure, sometimes entirely, on the patell, and
he being perfectly indifferent, affords his support to the inoculator in consideration of the fees
which he receives. A simple and effectual way to put a stop to the system, I submit, would
be to hold the village officials responsible, as they must always be aware of the inoculator's
movements, and to punish them.
The measure under the consideration of Government for granting travelling batta to
vaccinators would be found a most valuable one for extending the practice of vaccination.
From the Annual Report of 1857, it appears that in the first year after batta was granted to
the vaccinators in Sind the number of operations was between twice and three times larger
than in the preceding year, and although the numerical increase in this division could scarcely
be so large, still great benefit would result by enabling the vaccinators to meet the expenses
of travelling, and affording them an inducement to visit a larger number of villages, and to go
over their districts more frequently, and thereby to confer the benefit of the prophylactic on
the rising generation at the earliest possible age, and to reduce the number of unprotected
persons to a minimum. The increased emolument would also add to the vaccinator's prestige
in his district, and attract a superior class of men into the service.
During the year an attempt was made to cause the village officials to prepare a list of
all unprotected persons in their villages at the time the vaccinator was about commencing
operations. This would seem a perfectly legitimate duty, and one not entailing much trouble