NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
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6. As will be seen, the average number of operations performed in the year by
the members of my Establishment is 1,340, whereas it was 1,522 in the previous year :
showing a decrease of 182 operations per man. It must be remembered however, that
during the past year, at least eight of the vaccinators were only half-timed, i.e. were
engaged for six months only out of the 12, and that the vaccinators of Sattara who per-
formed, in 1869-70, only 950 operations per man, were transferred to this Circle in
place of those of Kulladghee, whose returns for that year showed an average of 1,850,
or nearly double. I hope during the current year, to see the Sattara vaccinators in
this respect, nearly on a par with the rest of the Central Circle.
Sex.
7. Of the total number of primary operations, 44,452 were on males, and 41,513
on females : giving a percentage of 51.7 and 48.3 respec-
tively, or very nearly the same as for the preceding year.
Caste.
8. The following table exhibits the percentages of castes, as compared with the
preceding year; and does not appear to call for any special
remark :—
Years.
1869-70 ...
1870-71 ...
Christians.
.01
.06
Hindoos.
87.4
87.9
Mussulmans.
5.2
4.2
Parsees.
.0008
.005
Other Castes.
7.3
7.6
Remarks.
Age.
9. The percentage of operations on persons below and above one year of age,
is respectively 30.7 and 69.3, showing a decrease of 7.5
per cent. in the former, when compared with 1869-70.
This is, at least partly, accounted for by the extension of vaccination amongst tribes
(such as the Bheels of Khandeish) hitherto unvisited.
Percentage of success.
10. The vaccine lymph in use throughout the year has been generally good,
the vesicles well formed, and the resulting cicatrices of
good size and depth, and foveated. Of course there have
been exceptions, but they have not been many. The cause has either been sickness
on the part of the vaccinator, or inexperience. The percentage of success recorded is
96.0, which is a little below last year. On the whole, 1 think, the operations of the
Department in this Circle have been satisfactorily carried on, and quite as successfully
as in previous years.
Lymph received from
England.
11. In the month of January last, seven tubes were received from England,
through the Superintendent General, containing vaccine
lymph. With this lymph I operated on several selected
children with great care, and the result was very satisfactory indeed. From the.
resulting vesicles, on the 8th day, twenty-three children were vaccinated by me and
4
General Nos. 207 and 240, my Office Karkoons, and every one of them resulted
successfully, out of 109 punctures made, 104 resulted in vesicles more or less well
developed. Numerous tubes were filled and distributed among my establishment
and a large number of them are now using this lymph. It is satisfactory to think
that the largest number of operations performed by a single individual, was by the
man (General No. 244) in whose Talooka the English lymph was propagated, and that
for three months he was using it, and no other.
Husband's tubes.
12. These tubes have been very largely made use of during the past year for
transmitting lymph by post to vaccinators, and numerous
applicants both in and beyond the Presidency of Bombay.
The great majority of the vaccinators can now use them. They are not however made
use of as an alternative for arm-to-arm vaccination, except on rare occasions, and when
children with fresh lymph are not available.
Inoculation.
13. That this practice is not yet a thing of the past, I think I am right in
affirming. No report of the inoculator carrying on his
dangerous operations has been received during the past
year, but while inspecting the work of the vaccinators in the Patun, Kurrar, Sattara,
and Jowlee Talookas of the Sattara collectorate, I saw very many children who had
been inoculated. In the village of Choreh of the Kurrar Talooka, a list of the
names of 22 children was made. They had been inoculated in January 1870 by
one Janoo Dungur, an inhabitant of Mandweh, Sattara talook. In the Jowlee talook
there are inoculated children in every village : most of them having been operated
on two or three years ago. The village officials did not see anything wrong in it,
and in many instances have had their own children inoculated. The Mamlutdar
of this Talooka, though he has been nearly five years in that district, knew nothing
about it, and did not know there was such a person as an inoculator in his district.
I have brought the matter to the notice of the Collector, and no doubt steps will be
taken to prevent any thing of the kind in future.
Small pox.
14. Small-pox during the year 1870 did not prevail anywhere in an epidemic
form, and the return given below shows that only 3,621
cases occurred in a population of over four millions, and of
these 321 are reported to have died. I do not submit these returns under the impres-
sion that they are absolutely correct, or even a very near approximation to the truth.
However, they are made up from registers of small-pox kept in nearly every village,
and as both Dr. Gordon and myself have taken frequent opportunities to test them
and found them fairly correct, I give them such as they are. Many of those given as
occurring in persons previously vaccinated, occurred probably in persons unsuccessfully
operated on. Of the total 8.8 per cent died, a very low death rate indeed ; while of
those who had been previously vaccinated, 12.5 are reported to have died. There
must be some serious mistake here, partly explained perhaps on the above supposition.
5
Collectorate.
Poona....................
Ahmednuggur
Nassick
Khandeish
Sattara .................
Sholapoor
Total 1870 ......
Total 1869 ......
Total number of
cases of Small-pox
during the year
1870.
344
366
260
1,616
43.
992
3,621
21,943
Of the Total
number were
Vaccinated.
In In-
fancy.
1
4
...
23
...
21
49
330
In after
life.
1
9
7
60
...
34
111
1,093
Of the total who
died from Small-
pox were vacci-
nated.
In In-
fancy.
1
1
...
1
...
8
11
14
In after
life.
1
...
...
18
...
...
19
113
Of the total num-
ber unprotected.
342
353
253
1,533
43
937
3,461
20,520
Of those unprotected
died of Small-pox.
22
10
20
161
1
77
291
2,530
Total deaths from
Small-pox out of
total number of
cases.
24
11
20
180
1
85
321
2,657
Conduct of the Vaccina-
tors.
15. The conduct of the vaccinators generally has been satisfactory. One man
of the Local Funds establishment was dismissed for in_
efficiency and disobedience. Of the Government establish-
ment it has not been necessary to take serious notice of the
conduct of any one : nothing more than a small fine or warning. No casualties took
place during the year.
Notice of the Vaccinators'
visits to Villages.
16. In accordance with Government Resolution No. 1345, dated 7th June 1869,
I have had printed a few copies of a notice to be sent to
Village Officers by vaccinators, two or three days before
visiting a village for the first time. It merely states the
date and hour of the intended visit, asks their assistance in the collection of children
for operation, and requests they will acknowledge receipt of the notice by their
signature. I anticipate much good will result from the use of this notice as it will
prevent Village Officers from making feigned excuses for absence. Koolkurnees in
a great many cases live in other than their own villages, and are, consequently, very
often absent when the vaccinator is at work. This notice, timely given, will in a
great measure remedy this.
Local Funds Establish-
ment.
17. This establishment now consists of nine members, six having been added
during the past year. They have worked well ; three
in Poona and six in Khandeish Collectorate.
Municipalities Establish-
ment.
18. Except the addition of one vaccinator for several towns in the Kher Talooka
of the Poona Collectorate, the number of Municipalities'
vaccinators remains the same as the preceding year.
8
Report by DR. GORDON for the period he was Acting Superintendent of
Vaccination in the Centred Circle in 1870-71.
General Progress.
The general progress of vaccination has been on the whole satisfactory. From
what I have learned in my intercourse with the people, and
from the desire expressed by the greater number to have
their children protected, I am confident that the benefits of vaccination are becoming
every year more perceptible to the natives. It is so at least in the districts, but in
many large towns there still remains much to be done.
2. During last rains Dr. Blanc, assisted by the Sub-Assistant Surgeon in charge
of the Dispensary, and myself, carried on animal vaccination at Poona. Its introduction
did not meet with the support of the public, and our efforts to obtain heifers were by
many strenuously opposed. On each appointed day a few children only could be col-
lected, and these were very reluctantly brought by the parents. Since October the
work has been carried on by Mr. Balcrishna Chintoba, Sub-Assistant Surgeon, but the
successful operations compared with the unsuccessful have been very few indeed.
3. In September many of the vaccinators reported that their lymph had de-
teriorated in consequence of the heavy and continuous rains, and I regret to state that
some of the supplies of English lymph introduced last season have been lost. Lymph
was at once supplied to all vaccinators from whom I had received reports.
4. Generally the vaccinators have worked well. I have imposed fines in a few
instances for disobedience of orders, and for working with bad lymph. Assistant Vac-
cinator Balcrishna Rajaram, General No. 207, who has been, for the last six years,
employed in the Superintendent's Office as a Carkoon, was tried by the Magistrate
at Poona, on a charge of attempting to extort money from other vaccinators, and
from candidates. It could not be proved that he had ever received any money
as a bribe, and the evidence was not sufficient to warrant conviction. I considered
him an untrustworthy person to have in the office, and sent him to work in the Waie
talooka. General No. 37 was employed in the office in his place. Veshmenath Rago,
Local Fund Vaccinator, Poona, was dismissed on account of carelessness, negligence, and
utter disregard of orders.
Small-pox.
5. The only report of small-pox received was from the Newassee talooka, to
which place a vaccinator was ordered to proceed. Not-
withstanding this the disease may have prevailed to some
extent in other talookas, but the returns at the end of the year will tell. I must here
make a few remarks with reference to the statistics of small-pox given in my report for
1869-70. I have paid great attention to this subject, and examined the small-pox re-
gisters of many of the villages I have visited. From what I have learned I must
again state that I believe these registers are very fair returns of the actual number of
cases which have occurred. Perfection and perfect correctness cannot be expected, when
we consider that these registers are kept by unprofessional men, At para. 16 of my
Report for 1869-70 I stated that small-pox had been epidemic in only two talookas,
10
and as there was a ready supply of animal lymph at hand, this was at once remedied.
On the 8th of October I went to the Poorundhur talooka and inspected the work of
General No. 37. The cicatrices were generally all large and typical, and his work
had been performed with great care. I also saw some work here performed by Gene-
ral No. 207. I next travelled through the Bimthurry talooka where I saw the work
of Gungadur Rajaram, Local Fund vaccinator, and the work of the Municipal vac-
cinator at Baramuttee. The work of both was satisfactory and the lymph was good.
In the Indapoor talooka I examined the work of Govind Khunderao, Local Fund
vaccinator. His work was the worst I have yet inspected. More than half the
vaccinations performed by him since May were utterly worthless. His lymph had
deteriorated so much that the resulting vesicles were all spurious; he was directed to
abandon the lymph he was using, and go to the Baramuttee vaccinator to see proper
vaccine vesicles and get a supply of fresh lymph. He was fined and warned to be more
careful in future. At Indapoor I inspected the Dispensary and found everything very
satisfactory. I next went to Kurmulla where I inspected the work and lymph of Ge-
neral No. 301. Generally the cicatrices were indifferent, and many of the vaccinations
had been performed very carelessly. The old work of General No. 223, was also in-
spected. The cicatrices were all deep and pitted. From Kurmulla I passed through
Kurjut, where I saw the old work of General No. 289. It was very satisfactory. On
the 1st December I gave over charge to Dr. Turnbull. During the four travelling
months since the 1st April I have examined 4,585 vaccinated children, visited 116
villages and travelled 697 miles. I have inspected the work of 9 Government, 3 Local
Fund, and 4 Municipal vaccinators, the vaccinators at the Civil Hospital, Poona, and
two Dispensaries.
11
SOUTHERN CIRCLE.
Superintendent.—Assistant Surgeon J. RABY.
Establishment.—25 Vaccinators under Government, 7 under Municipalities, 7
under Local Funds, 20 under Native Chiefs, and 10 Dispensaries.
Population of Circle, 4,000,000. Total cost Rs. 22,455. Average cost of each
successful vaccination, 6 annas and 9 pies.
Establishment.
Government ......
Municipalities ......
Local Funds ......
Native Chiefs
......
Dispensaries ......
Years.
1869-70
1870-71
1869-70
1870-71
1869-70
1870-71
1869-70
1870-71
1869-70
1870-71
Total
Vaccinated
28,499
26,306
9,368
3,535
3,843
6,717
22,572
19,938
3,577
2,864
Compared with the
preceding year.
Increase.
......
......
......
......
......
2,874
......
......
......
......
Decrease.
......
2,193
......
5,833
......
......
......
2,634
......
713
Success-
fully vacci-
nated.
27,178
24,673
8,653
3,243
3,624
6,336
21,715
18,752
......
2,316
Percentage
of success,
excluding
those un-
known.
97.1
95.8
94.8
93.0
97.3
96.5
97.3
95.0
91.0
87.0
Progress of vaccination.
The progress of vaccination in this Circle throughout the year has been favour-
able on the whole, though not altogether so satisfactory as
I should have desired. In the report which I have now
the honour to submit the actual numbers compared with those of last year are not so
great, but this is adequately accounted for by the Sattara zillah having been exchanged
for the Kulladghee collectorate. The total number of vaccinations performed during
the year 1870-71, is 59,360, of successfully vaccinated 55,320, giving a percentage of
success of 95.2. There is thus exhibited a decrease of 8,499 which is accounted for
principally by the above-mentioned exchange of zillahs. In the Sattara collec-
torate during 1869-70 there were 16 vaccinators, inclusive of the four maintained by
Native Chiefs, and two Dispensaries: whereas in the Kulladghee collectorate during
the year there have been only 8 vaccinators, and one Dispensary. But as a counter-
poise to this the returns of the station vaccinators under Civil Surgeons are for the
first time included in the returns of this Circle.
Government Establish-
ment.
2. The total vaccinations of the Government establishment are 26,306 and of
successfully vaccinated 24,673, giving a percentage of suc-
cess of 95.8. There is thus exhibited a decrease of 2,193.
This I attribute in great measure to the following :—The
services of two of the Sattara vaccinators who were transferred along with the zillah,
12
Causes of Decrease.
were lost for some months by reason of their unwillingness to leave that zillah, and the
unavoidable correspondence and consequent delay that ensued, so that it was late in
August before these men actually commenced work. It is true they did work in
the Sattara collectorate during this time, but their returns
for this period will be incorporated with those of the Super-
intendent of Vaccination of the Central Circle. Another point of no small importance
to account for the diminished work, and especially the smallness of the returns from
these men was the fact of their being unacquainted with the Canarese language
which is in use in the zillah to which they were removed. This under the circum-
stances of the transference appears to have been unavoidable, and the Superintendent
General of Vaccination informs me that he purposes transferring these men from this
Circle as soon as practicable. They are very dissatisfied with their positions, and
are constantly petitioning to be removed to Marathi-speaking localities, but I am
unable to comply with their requests, because I have already vaccinators acquainted
only with Marathi in the Marathi districts. Sickness among the vaccinators has
been another cause of the decrease, and one vaccinator, Babajee Gungaram, General
No. 233, was absent for three months without leave. The smallness of the work
performed by two of these vaccinators, Babajee Gungaram and Sadasheo Mahadoo,
is sufficient alone to account for the apparent decrease, for if we compare the work
performed by them in 1869-70, viz
3,978
with that for the present year, viz
1,002
the difference will be observed to be
2,976
Native Chiefs' Establish-
ment.
Suggestions for Im-
proving Vaccination in
Native States.
3. In the Native Chiefs' establishment the number vaccinated is 19,938 ; and
of successful cases 18,752, or a percentage of 95.0. This
also shows a decrease, but the decrease is apparent only,
because if the numbers vaccinated by the four Chiefs'
vaccinators of the Sattara collectorate be deducted from the total of last year there is
really an increase of 752. During the year however there has been a vaccinator ap-
pointed for the Savanore State, but he has only recently commenced work (for he was
only appointed in January last), and his returns being only 83, scarcely affect the total.
The vaccinator of Echulkurunjee died of cholera during the year, and a break of over
two months occurred before the work was again commenced. Some improvement for
the more effectual vaccination of the mass of the population
in the Native States is urgently required, and the recom-
mendations that I have made to the Political Agent regard-
ing this will be found in the course of my tour ; they are
chiefly these,—1st, the introduction of registers of vaccination ; 2nd, the issuing of a
notice about vaccination in the different Petas and States ; 3rd, the closer supervision by
the Kharbarrees of the working of the vaccinators ; 4th, increased pay to the vaccina-
tors ; and 5th, directing the vaccinators to work more regularly and systematically
from village to village, instead of remaining for several months of the year always at the
16
tubes, as the remainder tried at Beejapoor proved successful, producing very good
vesicles, and from these and other removes I renewed the lymph of several other
vaccinators. In some villages I have met with very indifferent lymph and resulting
cicatrices, while in others, vaccinated by the same vaccinator, as equally good work has
been seen. I believe the reason of it is, that on first introducing lymph into a village
and, an indifferent vesicle resulting, the vaccinator propagates from this source instead
of giving himself the trouble to bring a fresh supply from another village.
Animal Vaccination.
12. In November last I endeavoured to introduce Animal Vaccination into this
Circle, and succeeded in inoculating a heifer, with lymph
brought with me from Bombay, but on vaccinating children
it failed. Several other inoculations from the same source failed to produce vesicles
on the human subject. I attribute the failure in the human subject to the vesicles
not having risen particularly well on the heifer.
Vaccinators sometimes take
lymph from too ripe vesicles.
13. Occasionally a vaccinator vaccinates from too ripe vesicles, when inflammatory
products are mixed with the vaccine virus ; the vesicles are
then large, and give a large supply of impure lymph, which
produces bad vesicles and bad vaccination.
Lymph supplied to all
applicants for it.
Lymph has been supplied in tubes to dispensaries, civil surgeons, vaccinators and
all others who have applied for it. It is difficult at times
to furnish lymph in well filled tubes on account of the
inability of many of the vaccinators to fill them properly.
I have shown the vaccinators the mode of filling tubes, but they do not appear to
become very skilful in their use. When we have a Native Assistant Superintendent
in each zillah many of the difficulties in this way will diminish, and the supervision will
be closer, which means not only more work but better work also, and this latter is
certainly desirable.
Small-Pox.
14. During the year I addressed the different Collectors requesting that returns
of small-pox might be forwarded to me monthly or quar-
terly, but up to the present time I regret to say I have
received none: but I have been informed that orders have been issued to furnish them
in future. Small-pox has been prevalent in parts of the Kulladghee, Canara, Dharwar,
and Belgaum collectorates. In the Chundgarh district of the Belgaum collecto-
rate it was epidemic at the commencement of the year. The talooka vaccinator
was ordered there, and I visited that part in November, but I did not hear of
many deaths having occurred. In the Canara zillah small-pox was reported by
Mr. Elphinstone to be prevailing, and in a very fatal form in the Moondgode Petah.
I at once directed the Bankapoor vaccinator to proceed there, and General No. 334,
recently entertained, was sent to Bankapoor, and directed to work towards the Moond-
gode district, but both of these men were very soon obliged to relinquish work on
account of sickness. Fever was very rife in both these talookas during the year, and
I had no little difficulty in getting a vaccinator to go there. On my representing to