NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
( xxvi )
Truthfulness of returns.
49. The vaccination returns in British territory may be relied on as
correct, or very nearly so— only one instance,
of half a dozen false names, having been
detected although the registers were tested
to over 50 per cent. of the total entries. I cannot speak so positively of
the returns from native states, particularly Baroda, where there appears to be
no testing by a superior officer at all. Of the 310,245 names tested about
fifty-five thousand were in native states' registers or fully 28 per cent.
Aid of civil and political officers.
50. The superintendents are unanimous in acknowledging the aid the
department has received from the civil and
political officers everywhere. In respect to
this aid it may be said that without the countenance and aid of these officers,
vaccination never could have progressed as it has done. There are only two
zilhás where much active aid is required and these are Belgaum and Dhárwád.
Mr Robertson, in the latter, told me himself that it is very difficult to per-
suade the Lingáyát Baniás of Ron and Ráníbadnúr tálukás. In the Chikodí
táluká, I am happy to say the aid of the district deputy collector, Mr. Ram-
chandra Sakhárám, and mámledár, Mr. Raghunáth Narsú, has enabled the 2
vaccinators to vaccinate 3,608 or 1,485 more than in the preceding year, but
still not much more than half what might be vaccinated had we more vacci-
nators for this very large and populous táluká. In this táluká the influence
of Malhár Hanmant, police pátil of Nipání, enabled the vaccinator to vaccinate
over 400 persons in that town alone, and I saw a large number of these 400
who had been well vaccinated.
Conduct of vaccinators.
51. The conduct of the vaccinators, as a body, has been very favor-
ably reported on; but among nearly four
hundred vaccinators it may be expected that
there will be instances of the ordinary failings.
The following figures show the casualties :—
Vaccinators.
Clerks,
Died..................
Dismissed..................
Resigned and discharged.
Pensioned..................
Deserted..................
Discharged..................
Resigned..................
Municipal
...
3
1
...
1
1
1
Local funds
3
9
7
1
Native states
2
5
2
...
Government
servants.
There was only one instance of falsification in British territory and that
was in the Sindh circle, where a young vaccinator by name Ramchand had
put six names in his October return which were also in his September return.
Dr. Williams appears to be satisfied that it was a case of falsification and the
man was dismissed. Other two instances of falsification occurred in the
native states of Penth and in Káthewád (Manikwádá). Both were dismissed.
The progress
of vaccination
should now be shown by districts.
52. I think the time has now arrived, when we should show the pro-
gress of vaccination, in each district, in the
body of this report: because we now have
tolerably exact figures regarding the popula-
tion both in British and native states' terri-
tory and we have an organization very nearly equal to the full requirements
( xxxi )
directed efforts of Mr. Robertson and his assistants will doubtless help the
vaccinator to win his way to the affections even of lingayats.
Kánadá collectorate.
64. The population of Kánadá is only 398,406 souls and the area is
4,235 square miles. The district is partly
below and partly above the Ghats. It is
mostly covered with forest trees and is much
broken by creeks, ravines and hills. There were 10 vaccinators employed
during the year, and there were some vaccinations done at 9 dispensaries.
The total number of primarily vaccinated persons was 14,855 or 37.2 per
mille of population. The percentage of success was 92.0. There were
934 revaccinations. Each vaccinator on an average operated on 1,390 per-
sons. The progress here is very satisfactory and is due in a great measure
to the very active interest taken in vaccination by Mr. Macdonald, the
collector. This zilha has repeatedly suffered from small-pox within the last
few years. When Kánadá was transferred to this presidency in 1862, the late
Dr. Stovell made enquiries into the state of vaccination in it, the results
of which are printed in his report for 1872 at page IV. Vaccination was then
in a very unsatisfactory state if not "radically bad."
Kaládgí collectorate.
65. In the Kaládgi collectorate the population is 816,037 and the area
5,695 square miles. There were 10 vaccina-
tors, 8 local fund and 2 municipal; in the
previous year there were 3 municipal vaccina-
tors for 10 months, but the Káládgi one was abolished in January 1873.
There were 14,054 persons primarily vaccinated or 17.2 per mille of popula-
tion. The percentage of success was 93.5. There were only 134 re-vac-
cinations. There should be, I think, at least 3 more vaccinators in this
zilhá; and until there be, I fear, the progress of vacccination cannot be as
satisfactory as I wish it.
Kolhápur, Southern Maráthá
Country, and Sáwantwádi.
66. The population of the native states in the Southern circle is about
1 ,621,227 and the area about 9,020. There are
25 vaccinators and 2 dispensaries and they pri-
marily vaccinated 33,115 persons or 20.4 per
mille of population. The success was 95.6 in
Sáwantwádi, 87.4 in Southern Maráthá Country, and 96.5 in Kolhápur. There
were 1,701 revaccinations. Each vaccinator averaged 1,339. There is room
for extension here, which will doubtless follow the recent increase of
vaccinators.
Progress of vaccination in the
Western circle.
67. The Western circle contains the collectorates of Tháná, Kolábá,
Násik, and Khándesh and the native states
of Janjirá, Jawar, and Penth. The popula-
tion is 3,070,259 and the area 24,519. There
are 6 assistant superintendents sanctioned
but only 5 have been employed: there are 49 vaccinators and Surgeon Cody
is the superintendent. There were 71,290 persons operated on.
Tháná collectorate.
68. The collectorate of Tháná contains 847,424 of a population and is
4,052 square miles in size. It has 13 vac-
cinators, 11 local fund and 2 municipal: vac-
cination is also practised at 9 dispensaries.
There were 14,195 persons primarily vaccinated or 16.7 per mille of popu-
( xxxiv )
pensaries. There were 29,307 persons primarily vaccinated or 25.8 per mille
of population. The success was 94.7. There were 233 revaccinations. Vac-
cination in these states is in a very satisfactory condition.
Progress of vaccination in Wes-
tern Gujaráth circle.
79. What is now the Western Gujaráth circle consists of the collec-
torate of Ahmadábád, the province of Káthe-
wád and Pálanpur territory. The population
is 3,142,153 and the area 30,246. There is a
superintendent, who is at present also civil
surgeon of Rájkot; but a proposal has been submitted to the Government
of India to have a superintendent for this circle, who shall have no other
than vaccination duties to perform. There are 3 assistant superintendents
and 52 vaccinators; and vaccination is practised to a very small extent at
11 dispensaries. There were 107,529 persons primarily vaccinated or 34.2
per mille of population. The percentage of success was 95.6. There were
3,725 revaccinations. The average number of persons operated on by each
vaccinator was 2,090. Progress is very satisfactory and is very creditable
to Dr. Butler.
Ahmadábád collectorate.
80. The population of Ahmadábád collectoratc is 827,754 and the area
3,841 square miles. It has 12 vaccinators—
7 local fund and 5 municipal; and vaccination
is practised at 6 dispensaries. There were 21,168 persons primarily vaccina-
ted or 25.5 per mille of population. The success was 94.6. The revaccina-
tions numbered 1,823. The average number of persons operated on by each
vaccinator was 1,793. This is very satisfactory progress.
Pálanpur states.
81. The Pálanpur states have a population of 532,187 and an area of
10,450 square miles. There are only 7 vacci-
nators ; there should be more on account of the
great area. They vaccinated 12,255 persons or 23.0 per mille of population,
which is satisfactory. The success is 96.3. There were only 71 revaccinations.
The average number of persons operated on by each vaccinator is 1,760.
Province of Káthewád.
82. The province of Káthewád has been divided into 4 vaccine divi-
sions, viz. the northern, western, southern and
eastern. I shall treat each of these divisions
as I have done the collectorates.
Northern division of Kathewad.
83. The northern division of Káthewád has a population of 472,809 and
an area of 2,953 square miles. There are 7
vaccinators and they primarily vaccinated
17,434 persons and there were 64 at the Wad-
wán dispensary, making a total of 17,498 or 37.0 per mille of population.
The success is 96.3. There were only 247 revaccinations. The average num-
ber of persons vaccinated by each vaccinator is 2,526. The progress here is
all that can be desired.
Western division of Káthewád.
84. The western division of Kathewád contains 548,960 souls and has
an area of 6,789 square miles. There are 10
vaccinators in it and vaccination was practised
at 3 dispensaries. The number of persons
primarily vaccinated amounted to 23,102 or 42.0 per mille of population ;
(
xxxv
)
which, I think, must be more than the birth-rate : so it cannot be maintained
long, as the arrears of unprotected must soon be all worked off. The success
is 93.8 per cent. and the average number of persons operated on by each
vaccinator is 2,339.
Southern division of Káthewád.
85. The southern division of Káthewád contains 406,383 souls and
has an area of 3,693 square miles. It has 8
vaccinators and they primarily vaccinated
16,457 persons or 40.4 per mille of population
There were 116 revaccinations. Each vaccinator operated on an average
on 2,072 persons. I do not think these numbers can be maintained.
Eastern division of Káthewád.
86. The eastern division of Káthewád has a population of 354,060
and an area of 2,520 square miles. There are
8 vaccinators and at one dispensary 6 persons
were vaccinated. The total number of per-
sons primarily vaccinated was 17,049 or 48.1 per mille of population, which
must be far above the rate annually available. There were only 140 revacci-
nations. Each vaccinator operated on 2,148 persons on an average.
Sindh circle.
87. The province of Sindh constitutes one circle—in it is the territory
of H. H. Ali Murád of Khairpur. The popu-
lation of the circle is 2,300,71 1 and the area
52,978 square miles. This circle, though not
nearly so populous as most of the other circles, is by far the largest in ex-
tent. There are 6 assistant superintendents and 50 vaccinators: and vac-
cination is more or less practised at 19 dispensaries in Sindh and at one in Goá-
dar on the Mekran coast. The total number of persons primarily vaccinated
is 102,108, exclusive of the 109 at Goádar and 1,087 Jodpuris and Kachís
or 44.3 per mille of population, which is more, than the birth-rate—but a great
effort was made by Dr. Williams to vaccinate all the unprotected below .15 years
old. The success is 97.5 per cent. There were 7,820 revaccinations, including
261 foreigners. Each vaccinator operated on 2,146 persons on an average. The
province of Sindh has 3 collectorates and 2 political superintendencies, viz.,
the collectorates of Karáchi, Haidarábád, and Shikárpur, and the frontier
districts of Upper Sindh and Thar and Párkar, besides, the native slate of
Kháirpur. The progress of vaccination in the Sindh circle has been very
satisfactory for a number of years back.
Karáchi collectorate.
88. The collectorate of Karáchi has a population of 421,791 and an
area of 14,089 square miles. There are 11 vac-
cinators—9 local fund and 2 municipal for the
city of Karáchi, and there are 8 dispensaries
at which vaccination is practised. There were 18,604 persons primarily vac-
cinated or 44.1 per mille of population. The success is 97.3 per cent.
The revaccinations numbered 1,395. The average number of persons vacci-
nated by each vaccinator is 1,725.
Shikárpur collectorate.
89. The Shikarpur collectorate has a population of 776,227 and an
area of 8,813 square miles. There are 15
vaccinators—13 local fund and 2 municipal
and vaccination is carried on at 3 dispensaries.
There were 34,432 persons primarily operated on or 44.3 per mille of popu-
( xxxvi )
lation. The success is 97.9 per cent. There are 4,005 revaccinations. The
average number of persons vaccinated by each vaccinator is 2,485.
Haidarábád collectorate.
90. The Haidarábád collectorate contains 721,947 of a population and
9,052 square miles. There are 13 vaccinators—
12 local fund and 1 municipal and vaccination
is practised at 4 dispensaries. There were
25,120 persons primarily vaccinated or 34.7 per mille of population. The
success is 97.6. There are 1,141 revaccinations. The average number of
persons vaccinated by each vaccinator is 1,950.
Upper Sindh Frontier district.
91. The Upper Sindh Frontier district has a population of 89,985 and
an area of 1,913 square miles. There are 3
vaccinators and they primarily vaccinated
5,810 or 64.5 per mille of population. The
success is 99.2. There are 28 revaccinations. Besides, the 3 vaccinators
operated on 389 Kachis from beyond our territory which bring each vacci-
nator's average up to 2,075.
Thar Párkar district.
92. The Thar Párkar has a population of 180,761 and an area of
12,729 square miles. There are 6 vaccinators
and 4 dispensaries at which vaccination is car-
ried on. The number of persons primarily vac-
cinated was 13,814 or 76.4 per mille of population. The success is 97.4.
There were 991 revaccinations. Besides the above there were 954 persons
from Jodhpur operated on. The average of each vaccinator is 2,526.
H. H. Mir Ali Murad's territory
of Khairpur.
93. The Khairpur state contains 110,000 people and an area of 6,382
square miles. There are 2 vaccinators who
primarily vaccinated 4,328 persons or 39.3
per mille of population. The success is
95.2. There were only 3 revaccinations.
Each vaccinator averaged 2,165 persons.
Goádar.
94. There were 109 persons vaccinated
and 1 revaccinated at the telegraph station
of Goádar in Belochistán.
Vaccination in Baroda territory.
95. Vaccination is carried on in H. H. the Gaikawád's territory which
has a population of 2,000,225. The Resident,
Colonel Phayre, is unable to give me the area
or at least any thing nearer than it is 260
kos long and 40 broad. I cannot say how much it is, but it has been roughly
estimated in the returns at 20,000 square miles. There are 1 assistant
superintendent and 23 vaccinators. The primary vaccinations number
27,299 or 13.6 per mille of population. The success is 93.5. There were
482 revaccinations. Each vaccinator on an average operated on 1,207
persons. The progress is not satisfactory, but there is some prospect of
an improvement.
Kutch.
96. H. H. the Ráo of Kutch's territory has a population of 486,900
and an area of 6,500 square miles. There are
1 assistant superintendent and 11 vaccinators ;
6 of whom are maintained by His Highness
and 5 by the Bhayáds. There were 2,468 persons vaccinated or only 5 per
( xxxviii )
cination is likely to bring more credit to officers of the vaccination de-
partment than general sanitation can be expected to give them, however
successful they may be as sanitists. If Government should see fit to
strengthen the sanitary department by the aid of the officers of this
department, the present strength of superintendents is not too great; but
on the other hand if Government wish to keep the two departments apart
and distinct, then, some of the circle superintendents could be spared
for other duties. With the assistant superintendents working so well as
they have done, I think, we might extend their functions and place the
whole presidency under the superintendence of 5 medical officers; that
is to say, we should have only 5 circles, viz :—
1. Presidency.—Island of Bombay.
2. Dekhan.—All, or nearly all, the districts above the gháts.
3. Konkan.—All the districts below the gháts.
4. Gujaráth.—All Gujaráth including the present Eastern and Wes-
tern Gujaráth circles.
5. Sindh.—The province of Sindh.
The superintendent general might hold charge of one of these cir-
cles and there would then be only 4 instead of 7 superintendents. Some-
thing of this kind must be done if we wish to reduce our administration
charges and keep the cost of vaccination as low, or nearly as low, as in other
provinces in India. I think it is quite feasible to work the department
with 4 superintendents without impairing the efficiency of it. On the other
hand, as I said before, if Government wish to strengthen the sanitary de-
partment by the aid of the officers in the vaccination department, the
strength is not any too great and our organization is suitable.
J. PINKERTON, M.D., Surgeon Major,
Superintendent General of Vaccination,
Bombay Presidency.
Bombay, 6th June 1874.
EXTRACTS
FROM THE
REPORTS OF SUPERINTENDENTS OF CIRCLES.
PRESIDENCY CIRCLE.
Superintendent.—Assistant
Surgeon Anantá Chandrobá, G.G.M.C.
Establishment.—11
Municipal vaccinators.
Population, 644,405. Total cost Rs. 10,676-1-9. Average cost of each
successful operation 1 rupee 1 anna and 3 pies.
Establishment.
Municipal
Years.
1872-73
1873-74
Total
Number
of per-
sons vac-
cinated
and
re-vac-
cinated.
16,415
13,907
Compared with
the preceding
year.
Increase.
......
......
Decrease.
......
2,508
Success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
13,055
9,897
Percentage of
success, excluding
those "unknown"
from the total.
In pri-
mary
vaccina-
tion.
89.0
87.9
In re-
vaccin-
ation.
44.1
53.5
Operations of the year.
During the year under report, there were 10,027 persons primarily vaccinated,
and among these there were 271 secondary opera-
tions. There were 3,880
persons
re-vaccinated,
among whom there were 69 secondary operations.
Decrease.
Compared with the year preceding, there has been a total decrease of 2,508.
The
decrease among the primarily vaccinated, however,
is considerably greater—amounting to 4,505. There
is an increase in the re-vaccinations to the extent of 1,997. Very considerable
as the decrease is in the primarily vaccinated, the event is not at all strange;, and
was quite anticipated. Epidemics of small-pox, some of them extremely virulent,
all very extensive, rapidly succeeding each other, over a period of three years,
could not but have protected a great many in the natural way. During the years
1871-72 and 1872-73, besides, unprecedentedly large numbers were vaccinated ;
and the number of children, of sufficiently advanced age, available for operations
was considerably less last year than there usually is. There can be no denying
the fact, however, that, even now, thousands of infants still remain unprotected.
These unprotected children belong, for the most part, to the middle and upper
classes of the community generally, and to the Mahomedan and Gujaráthi baniá
portion particularly. The one powerful and telling incentive to a, recourse to
vaccination—the prevalence of small-pox of some virulence and extent —being
absent, these people would neither bring their children to the public stations to
1 VAC
2
be vaccinated, nor would they allow us to vaccinate them even at their own doors.
Whenever and wherever we could, we did not hesitate to vaccinate little infants,
hardly six or eight weeks old ; and never in these cases was there any thing
untoward met with. As a matter of fact, with all these drawbacks, our work
of the year under report, can bear comparison with the annual work for the last
ten or twelve years, excepting, of course, the years 1871-72 and 1872-73, which
were in every way exceptional, on account of the terrible prevalence of small-pox.
Sex.
Caste.
Age.
2. Of the 10,027 primarily vaccinated, 5,515 were
males, and 4,512 females, or respectively 55 and 45
per cent. 844 were Christians, 6,394 Hindús, 1,256 Mahomedans, 665 Pársís, and
868 of other castes—comprising low caste Hindús and
Jews—giving percentages of 8.4, 63.8, 12.5, 6.6 and
87. 6,545 were under, and 3,482 above, one year of
age, the percentages being 65.3 and 34.7.
A cheering feature of the operations of the present year is the large number of
children vaccinated under one year old-almost double the number of children
above that age—indeed the number of children between four weeks and six months
amounted to 3,306. In the whole history of the Presidency vaccination circle, the
year under report, and the one preceding it, are the only years in which the num-
ber of children vaccinated under one year of age exceeded the number above that
age. The following figures show the ages of the vaccinated :—
Ages.
Persons
primarily
vaccinated
Under 3 months.
1,301
Between 3 and 6
months.
2,005
Between 6 and 12
months.
3,239
Between 12 and 24
months.
1,449
Between 2 and 4 years.
1,547
Between 4 and 6 years.
198
Between 6 and 9 years.
85
Between 9 and 13
years.
67
Between
13 and 24
years.
86
24 years and upwards.
50
Total
vaccinated.
Under 1
year.
6,545
Above 1
year.
3,482
Grand Total.
10,027
Result.
3. Of the 10,298 primary operations, 8,665 were successful or 87.9 per cent.
1,187 were unsuccessful and in 446 the result could
not be ascertained. Of the 3,949 re-vaccinations,
1,232 were successful, 1,070 were unsuccessful, and in 1.647 the result is unknown.
The percentage of success was 53.5, which is considerably higher than that of the
preceding year which was 44.1.
Lymph.
4. Our chief source of lymph is from the heifer ; and we had, for the most
part, a large supply of it of an excellent quality.
During the months of July and August, however,
some seven heifers got affected with fever—five after inoculation—and our supply
of animal-lymph failed for a time. An attempt was made to carry on the opera-
tions with human-lymph procured in tubes from the other circles. Unfortunately
the greatest number of them failed in my hands ; thus considerably reducing the
percentage of our success. Fresh supplies of preserved animal-lymph were
obtained from Dr. Warlomont of Brussels which fortunately proved successful, and
our animal-lymph was once more re-established in its natural purity, genuineness
3
and efficiency. Our vesicles, for the most part, when not disturbed, were
of the true Jennerian type ; and the resulting cicatrices deep, well-marked, and
foveated.
Animal Vaccination.
Our animal vaccination continues satisfactory. In all, 205 heifers were inocu-
lated. In nine, only, did the operation fail. The
following table shows the number of heifers inocu-
lated in each of the twelve months, with the result of
the operation :—
Heifers inoculated..................
Operation successful in ............
„ failed in ...........................
April 1873.
23
23
...
May.
15
15
...
June.
11
10
1
July.
9
6
3
Augus t
.
10
8
2
September.
9
8
1
October.
13
13
...
No v e mb e r
.
21
20
1
December.
27
27
...
January 1874.
23
22
1
February.
21
21
...
March.
23
23
...
Tot al .
205
196
9
8,285 primary vaccinations, and most of the re-vaccinations, were performed
with animal-lymph ; and of the former 7,130 proved successful, and only 802 un-
successful—giving a percentage of 89.8 of success.
Small-pox.
5. The epidemic that was prevailing at the commencement of 1873, gra-
dually declined, and the number of deaths from small-
pox became smaller and smaller, till in September
there was none. The disease was, however, never quite absent; and it again
began to make head from the month of November. This table shows the num-
ber of deaths from small-pox during the different months of the year :—
Months.
Deaths from small-pox...............
April 1873.
160
May.
99
June.
36
July.
14
August.
5
September.
...
October.
1
November.
4
December.
5
January 1874.
7
February.
25
March.
49
Total.
405
Small-pox is now prevalent in all parts of the island, but it is very mild ; having,
no doubt, spent itself in a very great degree during the epidemics of 1871-72
and 1872-73. The total number of deaths from small-pox, during the year,
amounted to 405, in the preceding year the number was 1,637. The following
table shows the deaths from small-pox, in the different localities, arranged accord-
ing to sex, caste, and age.