2
7. Different methods of vaccination.
A sufficient quantity of glycerinated vaccine was regularly supplied to all Civil
Surgeons, and there was thus no necessity to use vaccine taken direct from calves or
from the arms of vaccinated subjects. Rajshahi is the only district in which operations
with humanized vaccine were reported.
8. Vaccination work in different districts.
Of the 28 districts in the Province, 10 districts reported an increase on the previous
year's work.
The increase was most marked in the districts of Mymensingh, Faridpur, Bakar-
ganj, Dinajpur and Rangpur, each of which reported over 11,000 operations in excess
of the figures of the previous year. The only districts which reported decreases worthy
of notice were Noakhali the Naga Hills and Tippera.
The increase in the number of operations performed in the five districts mentioned
above was due mainly to the greater activity displayed in the presence of small-pox
during the last quarter of the year. The Civil Surgeon, Bakarganj, reports that but for
this activity, which was responsible for 22,252 operations in excess of those performed
during the corresponding period of the previous year, there would actually have been a
deficit. The Civil Surgeon also reports that from some of the affected localities "almost
frantic letters were received begging for vaccinators to be sent." It is also stated that
a much larger number of operations might have been performed in this district, if more
vaccinators were available. The Civil Surgeon, Mymensingh, who reports an increase
of 26,300 operations, attributes the large increase to the good work done by the inspect-
ing staff and to the assistance rendered by the District Magistrate and the Subdivisional
Officers. As this district was too heavy a charge for one Inspector, an additional In-
spector was sanctioned and appointed during the year under report. The Civil Surgeon,
Faridpur, reports that owing to the prevalence of small-pox, certain villages, which never
before accepted vaccination, were thoroughly protected during the year. The increase
in this district amounted to 22,500 operations.
In Noakhali, there was a decrease of nearly 4,000 operations. The Civil Surgeon
considers that in spite of this decrease, the result of the year's work was very satisfac-
tory and creditable to the staff, 31,351 infants having been successfully vaccinated, against
27,270 in the year 1907-1908.
There was also a decrease of nearly 4,000 operations in the Naga Hills. This, the
Civil Surgeon reports, was due to an experimental change in the class of vaccinators.
Hitherto Assamese vaccinators had been employed in these tracts ; but during the year
under report they were replaced by Angami Nagas, specially trained for the purpose, as
it was thought that the tribes would have less objection to them. It appears, however,
that the other tribes regard the Angamis as foreigners quite as much as they did the
Assamese, and are more ready to quarrel with them. In fact it is stated that the people
prefer the Assamese to the Angamis. The matter is being enquired into.
In the Kamrup district some further progress was made in overcoming the opposi-
tion towards vaccination displayed by the Mahapurushyas. Two thousand and ninety
of this sect were vaccinated, against 1,612 in the previous year. The Civil Surgeon
reports that Inspector Bishambar Das appears to have won them over to the advantage
of the operation.
Considerable opposition is met with in the Darrang district also, from which the
highest death-rate from small-pox was reported. In some villages, chiefly inhabited by
Cacharis, the people will not accept vaccination for fear of incurring the displeasure of
the goddess Basanta. The Deputy Commissioner rendered some assistance in over-
coming the opposition.
The Civil Surgeon, Lakhimpur, reports that considerable progress was made
during the year under report in extending vaccination amongst the Muttocks, who
have strong objections to vaccination, and also amongst the Miri tribes, 1,289 of
whom were vaccinated for the first time. The Civil Surgeon circulated the small-pox
pamphlet issued by the Satkar Samiti of Dibrugarh, the contents of which were
personally explained to the villagers by the staff. He considers that the free circulation
of this pamphlet would in some measure remove opposition to vaccination. The matter
is under the consideration of this department.
There was an increase of 8,538 operations in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. This
was principally due to the temporary entertainment during the vaccination season of
one temporary Sub Inspector and five temporary vaccinators. The temporary
establishment was employed principally in areas in which vaccination had not been