66
Future prospects.
î6. In a large number of villages in the dis anthere is now a strong feeling in favour of inoculation
and I hear of many villages which express a wish for
reinoculation in the end of the autumn, as they say that
now they see the value of the measure, they are not going to wait a second time until the disease is well
established, but will all be inoculated before it begins.
GURDASPUR DISTRICT.
105. Captain More, I.M.S., who was the District Plague Medical Officer of the Gurdas-
pur-District, reports that the prospects of a successful campaign in the district seemed at first
promising, as over 300 applications for inoculations were received from villagers early in
October 1902. Most of these applications came from villages in the Shakargarh Tahsil,-arid
operations were accordingly commenced there. It soon became evident, however, that the
petitions for inoculations were not of worth value, and considerable pressure was required
in order to induce the people to accept inoculation.
Up to November 7th, on which date orders were received directing the suspension of
operations, 11,437 persons had been inoculated. This represented the work of rather less
than a month, as operations had not been commenced until October 10th.
Captain More is of opinion that the Malkowal accident except in the larger towns,
where it seriously affected the process of inoculation, made but little impression upon the
people, who regarded the account of it, if it reached them at all, in much the same way as
many rumours of the evil effects of inoculation.
It may be pointed out, however, that inoculation had been almost confined to rural
area before the operations were suspended, and that the number of inoculations perfomed during
the whole of the remainder of the season did not amount to the month's work mentioned
above.
Captain More remarks that the " new " prophylactic gave little or no reaction, and
was for this reason preferred by the people to the " old " fluid.
One reason given for the failure of the people to accept inoculation was that, as the
season was warm, it became apparent that plague was not going to be severe, and that
therefore the people did not think it worth while to be inoculated.
GUJRAT DISTRICT.
106. It was in the Gujrat District that the Malkowal accident occurred. This has
been described elsewhere, though it may be mentioned here that plague broke out at
Malkowal in November, when 23 inoculated persons were attacked of whom 19 died.
The measure in which the people of the Gujrat District came forward for inoculation
before this accident occurred gave considerable promise of a successful campaign ; afterwards
not a single inoculation was performed in the district. Fortunately, however, the outbreak
of plague in this district was a mild one.
SHAHPUR DISTRICT.
107. The people of the Shahpur District were opposed to the inoculation operation.
Their objection was that impotency and blindness was the result of the operation, and
consequently only 741 operations were performed in the district during the year under report.
JHELUM DISTRICT.
108. In October 1902 an attempt was made to introduce inoculation in Jhelum, but
this was strongly opposed. Only 26 persons all told were inoculated and they were mostly
officials and school boys.
JHANG DISTRICT.
109. The people of the Jhang Dstrict were averse to the inoculation operation, saying
they feared impotency, and consequently only 1,810 operations were performed in the district
during the year under report.
Punjab Government Frees, Lahore—12-2-04—405,