2
Mortality from small-pox.
4. The ratio of deaths from small-pox reported during 1907-1908 was .28 per
mille of the population. The ratio was highest in Darrang
(4.19) and in Kamrup (3.45). In the former district the
mortality was due to a severe outbreak of small-pox among some aboriginal tribes
who have not yet become accustomed to vaccination : and in the latter district it was
due to an epidemic among the Mahapurushiyas, who object to vaccination on religious
grounds.
The ratios range considerably higher in the Assam Valley districts than in the
Eastern Bengal districts, from .35 in Nowgong to .74 in Lakhimpur—Chittagong
(.40) and Pabna (.35) being the only two districts in Eastern Bengal which approach
these figures.
In Cachar the ratio fell as low as .004.
Dispensary vaccination.
5. Dispensary vaccination is practised in all the districts of the Assam Valley and
to a certain extent in Cachar and Sylhet; but in Eastern
Bengal it is limited to the districts of Chittagong, Noakhali,
Rangpur and Malda.
The operations by dispensary agents numbered 20,168, which is less by 5,434 than
the previous year's record. The fall is due to the opening up of areas around the dispen-
saries in the Cachar and Sylhet districts, which were formerly reserved for dispensary
officers, and which have now been placed under the Vaccination Department. In the
latter district alone there has been a fall of 6,752 operations, owing to this cause.
Comparing, however, the totals for the three years ending March 1908 with those
of the previous three years, we find that there has been an increase of 8,661.
Although it is by no means desirable to discourage dispensary vaccination under
all circumstances, it should be recognised that the control of vaccination in the more
important and densely-populated areas ought to be in the hands of the vaccination
staff, who are primarily responsible for getting the people vaccinated and for checking
epidemics of small-pox.
Percentage of successful opera-
tions.
6. The percentage of successful primary operations performed by the Vaccination
Department varies from 93.86 upwards, and revaccination
from 18.60. In successful operations performed by the
dispensary agencies, it varies from 88.63 and 50, respectively.
Different method. of vaccination.
7. In 1905, when the new province was formed, nearly half the operations
in the Eastern Bengal districts were performed with
vaccine taken from the arm, and the remainder were
performed either with matter taken directly from calves vaccinated on the spot by
the vaccinators, or with lanoline paste supplied from the Calcutta and Darjeeling
depôts; while calf vaccine made up with glycerine was supplied from the Shillong
depôt to the old province of Assam.
Instructions have been issued to discontinue vaccination from the arm and from
locally-vaccinated calves. The latter has ceased, and of the former, only 41,873
operations were performed during the last season in the Dacca and Bakarganj districts
and the Chittagong Hill Tracts, in order to supplement the supplies from the Vaccine
depôt at Shillong. Vaccine made with lanoline paste has also been abandoned, and
glycerinated vaccine stored in hermetically-sealed capillary tubes is now supplied
throughout the Province.
Vaccination work in the districts.
8. As has been mentioned above, compared with the previous year's record,
the number of operations has increased
by over 40,000. The districts in which
this increase is most marked are Dacca, Tippera, Rangpur, Bakarganj, Bogra,
Pabna, Kamrup, and the Khasia Hills.
A more trustworthy guide, however, to the true position of vaccination in the
Province is to be found in the comparison
of the work of the last three years with
that of the previous triennium. Comparing
the marginal tables, which represent the
total operations, (1) in the Eastern
Bengal districts, and (2) in the Assam,
Surma Valley, and Hill districts, we find
that, while there has on the whole been
a tendency to increase operations in
Eastern Bengal, in Assam the returns
show a much greater fluctuation and the
number of operations is now lower than
it was at the beginning of the period.
Year.
1002-03 ... ...
1903-04 ... ...
1904-05 ... ...
1905-06 ... ...
1906-07 ... ...
1907-08 ... ...
Eastern Bengal.
958,880
1,017,804
1,055,977
1,124,184*
1,015,931*
1,080,384
Assam.
304,121
278,802
298,102
304,842
302,101
278,260
* In 1905-06 vaccination In the Eastern Bengal districts was stimulated
by an outbreak of small-pox. and In 1000-07 it was hindered by a
severe epidemic of cholera.
A more trustworthy guide, however, to the true position of vaccination in the
Province is to be found in the comparison
of the work of the last three years with
that of the previous triennium. Comparing
the marginal tables, which represent the
total operations, (1) in the Eastern
Bengal districts, and (2) in the Assam,
Surma Valley, and Hill districts, we find
that, while there has on the whole been
a tendency to increase operations in
Eastern Bengal, in Assam the returns
show a much greater fluctuation and the
number of operations is now lower than
it was at the beginning of the period.