3
any place successfully, a peon, specially set apart to assist the vaccinator, is an absolute
necessity. Otherwise the efforts of the vaccinator will be fluctuating and uncertain.
Native States.
5. The decrease under this head is not considerable comparatively, but there is reason
to be dissatisfied with much of the States' work. It is not so
much on account of a falling off in the number of operations,
as on account of the irregular and uncertain manner in which many of the vaccinators dis-
charge their duties. They are frequently in arrears in the despatch of their monthly returns,
two or three, it may be, being submitted together, notwithstanding repeated calls from the
office; and, again, they do not scruple to leave their duties without reference to the Superin-
tendent, if they seem to obtain the Chief's sanction to do so. An improvement would take
place if it were carefully impressed upon the Chiefs that they have a responsibility beyond
the mere giving a certain sum of money for vaccination purposes. They ought to look for
money's worth in the men appointed and in the work they accomplish. Penth, especially,
has been backward during the year, and the A'tpadi vaccinator, though not much behind in
his work, deserves censure on account of his irregularities.
Dispensaries.
6. Dispensary vaccination is still behind but not to any great extent. The officers in
charge invariably report the unwillingness of the people to
send their children to be operated on, and especially are the
parents reluctant to having the fresh lymph taken from their children's arms. Lymph thus
becomes exhausted, and operations are interrupted. As far as I have been able to learn, the
spirit of Circular No. 1003 of the 21st March 1872, from the Inspector General of Hospi-
tals, has been generally acted up to, yet the establishing of certain vaccine stations, for the
benefit of the inhabitants, has not resulted in a proportionate increase of operations. The
people fail to appreciate the advantages a paternal Government is putting in their very way.
It has occurred to me as strange that dispensary officers complain of popular apathy more
than the general vaccinators do. With the medical knowledge they are supposed to possess,
Hospital Assistants, and others in charge, are in a position to set before the people intelligent-
ly the benefits to be derived from successful vaccination. They are, at the same time, many
of them, wonderfully inexpert in manipulating the lancet and tubes, and I venture to think
that some special training in these particulars would impress them with the idea that the
work is as much theirs, and demands as much attention, as the general dispensary duties.
They would not, then, have to make the complaint that the ordinary morning work in the
dispensary leaves them no time to procure children for vaccination, and that to do so would
necessitate closing the dispensary—an alternative not allowed by the Medical Department.
The time suggested to them, therefore, is from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M., when, it is needless to say,
few children of the working classes can be had. The early mornings from 6 to 8, adopted
by vaccinators with little or no difficulty, present opportunities for operating as well as for
inspection purposes, more favorable than any other time of the day. Surely before dispensary
hours some dispensary servant might be able to get together a few children for operation
during dispensary hours as part of the regular work; or dispensary vaccination days might
be set apart, not, however, to the exclusion of other work, if time remained. It is in these
dispensary and municipal towns, where is held the weekly market, and, it may be, an occa¬
sional fair, that small-pox finds its footing most readily, to be again spread over the surround-
ing villages with the breaking up of the next weekly market or fair, and, therefore, thorough
protection of all unprotected persons cannot be too soon or too anxiously looked for.
Vaccinators.
7. Viewing the Circle as a whole, they have worked well during the year. Deserving
of special mention are Tátiá Dhondeo of Wálwá, Dhondo
Chintáman of Sátárá, Kesheo Shiddheshwar of Hawelí,
and Wáman Kesheo of Wáí. Three of these belong to Sátárá Zilhá, which continues to