58
tendent General of Vaccination and myself. The lymph had remained in his posses-
sion for a considerable period (three months I think), and from previous experience
apprehensions were entertained that the operation might prove a failure. Fortunately,
however, it succeeded admirably, and Dr. Blane was enabled to inoculate a fresh
heifer, with the lymph thus obtained from the first, on the 15th of the month, the
seventh day after the first operation. This also proved completely successful. He then
successively inoculated two or three more heifers, and successfully vaccinated many
children with lymph direct from the inoculated heifers; and after thus establishing
an excellent supply of animal vaccine virus, left Bombay to join his appointment.
After him, the task of carrying on and keeping up animal vaccination in Bombay
naturally fell to my lot. I must confess that I had considerable misgivings as to my
ability to perform the task satisfactorily. I was but a novice, and my men, equally
ignorant of the subject, were awkward in their assistance, and the necessary appliances
and instruments were wanting. We had to be contented with, and make use of, the
awkward appliances we could improvise from the imperfect materials at our command.
All this could not fail to cost me many an anxious day; and it was not till after I had
successfully inoculated four or five heifers, and vaccinated with equal success many
children with the lymph obtained therefrom, that I became reassured. I had, however,
difficulties of another and more potent kind to contend against, and, what is worse,
difficulties over which I could have no control whatsoever. The cow being an animal
held in high religious veneration by the mass of the Hindoos, few could be induced to
give us the use of their heifers for inoculating purposes. Some did, indeed, lend us
their calves for a money consideration to the extent of some two or three rupees a
head, but the number of such was very small indeed—there being only five that were
thus paid for. Heifers, most of them in an excellent condition, and thoroughly clean,
are provokingly numerous in all parts of the Island ; but beyond the five above referred
to, none could be induced to give us the use of their calves, even for the consideration of
Rs. 5 per head, besides feeding them during the time they should remain with us.
Nine more heifers only could we procure from friends and other obliging acquaintances—
of course free of any charges ; and in some even free of any feeding charges, the heifer
having remained with the owners, and sent to us, when the lymph was mature enough
for use, which was generally on the sixth day. I thus found that the supply of heifers
from friends and acquaintances was too precarious to be depended on ; nor were any
procurable for a money consideration either, owing to the religious veneration in which
the cows and heifers were held generally by the people. It was, however, absolutely
necessary for our purposes to obtain a regular supply of heifers, without which animal
vaccination could not be established on a firm footing. To buy heifers as required
was apparently the only course left to us, but, unfortunately, there was no mart for
heifers in Bombay. Under these circumstances, the only persons who are in a posi-
tion to supply us with heifers, if disposed even to do so, are the butchers. I there-
fore lost no time in applying to them for the necessary assistance, and one did actually
consent to provide us with a heifer every sixth day for the consideration of Rs. 5
per head, and the feeding of the animal during the time we should detain it. By the
time, however, that the necessary sanction from the Superintendent General of Vacci-