NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
( xxx
)
to meet the Superintendent of the Rewá Kánthá Circle. I examined his office
records (which were not so satisfactory as might be) and work in several vil-
lages. I also enquired into the conduct of one of the State vaccinators, then
under suspension, and sanctioned his dismissal. From Rájpiplá I returned
through the Rájpiplá State to Ankleshwar. Thence, by train, I went to Bom-
bay, and made inquiries regarding vaccination in the Presidency Circle. There-
after visited the Western Circle, and in company with Mr. Cody travelled
through the Alibág and Pen tálukás of Kolábá Zilhá and a part of the Tháná
Zilhá, visiting the villages as well as the Pen Dispensary en route. During
my tour I saw some good work, and found Mr. Cody's office in a satisfactory
state. As far as vaccination is concerned, at least, the Pen Dispensary stands
much in need of improvement. In a population of 6,514 only 53 successful
operations were performed during the past year. This gives less than five oper-
ations per month and only one per week. Shortly after leaving the Western
Circle, in the month of January, I proceeded to Karáchí by steamer, from
Karáchí to Kotrí by rail, and thence viâ Haidarábád, Ghotáná, Gulám Alijo
Tándá, Digrí, Ján Mahammadjo Ghot of the Haidarábád Collectorate, and
Dhadelá and Nabisar, of the Thar and Párkar District, to Umarkot. I there
met Dr. Williams, the Superintendent of the Sindh Circle, inspected the
office records, which were not very correct for the period antecedent to the
return to duty of Dr. Williams ; but, from the date of his resuming charge, he
had applied himself with much assiduity to putting things in order, and had so
far succeeded. Inspected the dispensary and vaccination in the town of
Umarkot. The only remarkable thing I observed was the large number of
absentees, many of the names registered were those of children said to belong
to other places, and to foreign territory, and it did not appear to me possible
to be certain of the correctness of the register (see para. 62). What work I
saw was fairly done. Marched through the tálukás of Umarkot, Thar and
Párkar District, and Digrí and Haidarábád of the Haidarábád Zilhá, inspect-
ing the villages en route, and found the work correct, except in the matter of
absentees. Altogether I was more than a month in Sindh, marching almost
continuously, and returned to Bombay by steamer early in the month of
March. From Bombay returned to Púná, and, having made hasty prepara-
tions, proceeded to Belgaum, through the Púná and Sátárd zilhás of the
Central Circle. I reached Belgaum on the 18th of March, examined the office
of the Superintendent, the Charitable Dispensary, and the work of two vacci-
nators. The office and the dispensary were not satisfactory. I also made
a strict enquiry into the fitness of the probationary Assistant Superintendents
of Vaccination, two of whom had been reported on unfavourably by Mr. Lewis.
I found two of them quite unfit for appointment, and directed their return
to their former duties. A successor to one of them on probation has been
appointed, and another will be so, soon.
( xxxi )
70. In conclusion I have to apologize for this Report being later than
usual in preparation for the press. This delay is due entirely to the delay in
the receipt of the report of the Sindh Circle Superintendent and a few of the
army returns. But for the late receipt of these, the Report and statements
would have been ready for the press quite a month ago.
P. S. TURNBULL, M.D., Surgeon,
Acting Superintendent General of "Vaccination,
Bombay Presidency.
Púná, 29th June 1873.
REPORT
ON
VACCINATION THROUGHOUT THE BOMBAY
PRESIDENCY AND SIND
FOR THE YEAR 1872-73.
This is the fifth annual report by the Superintendent General of Vac¬
cination, Bombay Presidency.
Divisions of the Report.
2. As usual the report is divided into (a) a general statement of the
working of the Department, (b) extracts from
the reports of Circle Superintendents, (c) tabu-
lated statements showing in detail the operations of the Department in each
Circle and in the Bombay Army, and (d) summaries of the diaries of Circle
Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents.
3. Whether as regards the number of operations performed, or the ge-
neral working of the establishments throughout the year, the report I now
submit must be a favourable one. That the vaccinators have worked well,
and that the officers of the Department generally have zealously performed
their duties, will, I think, be clear from the report and its accompaniments.
4. The following table shows the number of persons vaccinated during
the past and the preceding year :—
1871-72.
Primary
Vaccinations.
507,729
13,792
521,521
Re-vac-
cinations
18,673
523
19,196
540,717
8,401
549,118
In Civil Life.
Itinerant Establishment
Dispensary Establishment
Civil Life Total
Army Total
Total Vaccinations in Bombay
Presidency.
1872-73.
Primary
Vaccinations.
546,841
16,685
563,526
Re-vac-
cinations.
15,035
1,266
16,301
579,827
8,530
588,357
1 vac
EXTRACTS
FROM THE
REPORTS OF SUPERINTENDENTS OF CIRCLES.
CENTRAL CIRCLE.
Superintendent.—Surgeon P. S. TURNBULL, M.D., (Acting Superintendent General).
Acting Superintendent.—Assistant Surgeon J. ROBB, M.B.
Establishment.—6 Assistant Superintendents, 2 Clerks, 63 Vaccinators under Local Funds,
16 under Municipalities, and 6 under Native States. Total 85 Vaccinators, and 20 Dispen-
saries.
Population 5,124,984. Total cost Rs. 36,317-6-6. Average cost of each successful case
5 annas 9 pies, or 3 annas 6 pies excluding Government expenditure.
Establishment.
Government...
...
Municipalities
...
Local
Funds...
...
Native States
...
Dispensaries ...
...
Years.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-73.
Total
vaccina-
ted.
19,531
......
19,217
14,946
61,460
93,560
6,184
5,631
4,585
4,250
Compared with
the preceding year.
Increase.
......
......
......
......
......
32,100
......
......
......
......
Decrease.
......
19,531
......
4,271
......
......
......
553
......
335
Success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
18,220
......
16,831
11,802
56,278
83,361
5,585
4,922
3,845
3,501
Percentage of
success excluding
those unknown
from the Total.
In Pri-
mary
Vaccina-
tion.
95.0
......
92.3
92.4
95.0
94.8
92.2
92.4
89.9
92.4
In Re¬
vaccina-
tion.
71.2
......
55.4
51.8
79.1
77.3
51.7
100.
75.5
39.6
This is the first complete year of report since the reorganization of the Department.
The results of the working of the new scheme will be viewed with interest on that account.
Progress.
2. Excluding dispensaries, there is a total increase of 7,745 persons vaccinated over last
year's returns, and this is satisfactory ; but the above ana-
lysis of the whole Circle shows a decrease in each establish-
ment except Local Funds, where a greater or less increase was to be looked for. The causes
of increase and decrease, so far as they are known, will be noticed in the paras. referring to
each establishment.
1 VAC.
4
maintain its position as the best vaccinated of all the zilhás in the Circle. I may mention,
however, that these three men were transferred from the Puna and Nagar and Sholápur
zilhás only in the year 1871.
Changes.
8. During the year three casualties occurred, four vaccinators were dismissed on
account of continued inefficiency, disobedience, or falsifica-
tion of returns, and, as noticed above, the municipal vacci-
nator of Koregám was reduced, while a new municipal appointment was made in Náráyan¬
gáum and Utur in Juner Táluká. Except the last mentioned, all of these changes have
tended to reduce the working strength of the Department, and presumably the amount of
work done.
Effective and actual strength.
9. The following figures have been tabulated to show the effective strength of each es-
tablishment, in each zilliá, and the actual strength during
the year, calculated from the number of monthly returns
received :—
Collectorate.
Púná...............
Nagar ............
Násik ............
Sholápur............
Khándesh ......
Sátárá ............
Total ......
Local
Funds.
Number of
Vaccinators.
8
11
10
6
16
12
63
Their Value.
7 7/12
10 2/12
8 8/ 12
5 12/12
15 1/12
11 11/12
59 3/12
Municipali-
ties.
Number of
Vaccinators.
5
1
1
3
1
5
16
Their Value.
4 4/12
1
1
3
1
4 8/12
15
Native
States.
Number of
Vaccinators.
...
...
1
1
...
4
6
Their Value.
...
...
8/12
1
...
4
5 8/12
Total, ex-
cluding Dis-
pensaries.
Number of
Vaccinators.
13
12
12
10
17
21
85
Their Value.
11 11/12
11 2/12
10 4/12
9 10/ 12
16 1/ 12
20 7/12
79 11/12
Dispensa-
ries.
Number of
Vaccinators.
5
2
2
4
3
4
20
Their Value.
3 4/ 12
1 1/ 12
1 8/12
3 12/12
2 8/12
3
15 8/12
Circle Total
Number of
Vaccinators.
18
14
14
14
20
25
105
Their Value.
18 3/ 12
12 3/12
12
13 29/12
18 8/12
23 7/ 12
95 7/12
The weakness of the year is exposed both as regards particular establishment and the
particular zilhá where it lies. From this table it will be seen that, excluding dispensaries,
there has been a loss during the year equal to the work of five vaccinators plus a month's
work of one of them : and including dispensaries, a loss equivalent to the work of nine vac-
cinators plus nearly half a year's work of one of them. That is, on account of the changes
noticed in para. 8, tálukás and municipalities have had to lie vacant for months on end,
because of the difficulty experienced in filling up a vacancy at once. Candidates are not
wanting, but they are not always willing to comply with the necessary conditions of appoint-
ment. These are not unreasonable, considering the importance of the work to be engaged in.
Candidates are required to serve a short time (not less than one month) in the Superinten-
dent's office to become acquainted with the meaning and use of forms, tubes, lancet, &c., and
a further probation, of one month at least, is necessary under some expert vaccinator with
whom they will see and learn the work practically. Besides, an intelligent knowledge of
Maráthí, and ability to write that language distinctly, are required. Also a candidate must
hear a good character, and be under 25 years of age. Because pay is not allowed during this
6
Assistant Superintendent, and vaccination was set agoing at once before any report had come
from the village officers through the táluká Mámlatdár. In this place no small-pox register
had been kept up.
Assistant Superintendents can, where necessary, bring the exertions of at least two
vaccinators to bear upon any locality where small-pox has established itself.
(3) In cases where young vaccinators have met with difficulties in prosecuting their
labours, Assistant Superintendents have been generally successful in smoothing the way for
them by explaining to the people the advantages of vaccination, and particularly that no
harm can result from taking lymph from the ripe vesicles.
(4) They are careful also to see that all village vaccination registers are properly kept
and stamped. Where small-pox registers are not kept, report to that effect is made to the
Superintendent, who takes steps to bring the neglect to the notice of the Revenue Officers.
11. The proportion of the sexes vaccinated remain
almost the same as it was last year,—51 per cent. males to
49 per cent. females.
Sex.
11. The proportion of the sexes vaccinated remain
almost the same as it was last year,—51 per cent. males to
49 per cent. females.
Caste.
12. Under this head 86.8 per cent. are Hindús, the remaining percentage of 13.2 being
distributed among the other castes.
Age.
13. The percentage with respect to age is 33.8 and 66.2 of children under and above
one year respectively. The increase over last year in
favour of infants is 3.5 per cent., an increase anticipated by
Dr. Turnbull in para. 11 of his last year's report. It is to be hoped that infant vaccination
will go on steadily increasing.
Lymph.
14. The lymph employed during the year has been generally reported to be good.
Where signs of deterioration have been seen, from small
and imperfectly developed vesicles vaccinators have been
directed to begin anow with a fresh supply. The deterioration is not of the lymph per se,
which, I believe, may be transmitted through a thousand cases with undiminished activity,
but because vaccinators are sometimes not careful to reject all but the first drop or two that
may exude from the vesicles. A tube filled with good lymph shows transparent as water ;
if blood or the serum of the blood has been abstracted (as it is sure to be if a vesicle is drain-
ed) then the contents of the tube will appear hazy. On two occasions English lymph was
received from the Superintendent General of Vaccination, and the following is the result of
its use :—
Date of Receipt.
November
1872...
...
...
January 1873
...
...
...
Total ......
Number
of
Children.
7
10
17
Age.
Under
one year.
7
9
16
Above
one year.
......
1
1
Number
of Punc-
tures.
28
41
69
Number
of Vesi-
cles.
22
21
43
Percen-
tage of
Success.
78.5
51.2
62.3
This lymph was largely distributed among the vaccinators of the Circle. Besides,
lymph has been frequently supplied to several military and civil charges within the Circle
and to other stations beyond the Circle, chiefly in Central India and the Central Provinces.
9
rather slow. Kisansing Dowlatsing has conducted the duties of head clerk to my entire
satisfaction.
Regarding the number of peons belonging to the Office Establishment, I gladly endorse
Mr. Cody's recommendation in the closing sentence of his last year's report, and for precisely
the same reasons he has given for making the recommendation.
26. In conclusion, I venture to express my humble appreciation of Dr. Wright's re-
marks in paras. 13 and 14 of his letter submitting the report of last year to Government,
Para. 14 especially carries weight with it. To be able to deal personally with village
authorities and others concerned, in the course of village inspections, Superintendents ought
to be at least colloquially acquainted with the vernaculars of their Circles. Interpretation is
all very well in its way—-and the kárkuns have in this respect done their best for me on all oc-
casions where necessary ; but, unless the interpreter is thoroughly conversant with our rather
complex English idiom, the precise meaning to be conveyed is sure to be lost. Such, I have
reason to think, is not seldom the case in dictating vernacular correspondence. I speak from
my own experience, which, on inspection occasions chiefly, has been sometimes painfully
irksome and unsatisfactory, because of my ignorance of the Maráthí language.
Camp Násik, 16th May 1873.
2 VAC
10
SOUTHERN CIRCLE.
Superintentdent.—Assistant
Surgeon J. RABY (on leave).
Acting Superintendent.—Surgeon
H. A. LEWIS.
Establishment.—5 Assistant Superintendents, 2 Clerks, 36 Vaccinators under Local Funds,
6 under Municipalities, 22 under Native Chiefs, and 16 Dispensaries.
Population 4,455,796. Total cost, Rs. 31,186-1-7. Average cost of each successful
vaccination.
Establishment.
Government...
...
Local Funds...
...
Municipalities
...
Native States
...
Dispensaries...
...
Years.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-72.
1871-72.
1872-73.
Total
vaccina¬
ted.
9,384
......
30,689
39,804
5,108
4,717
22,446
25,502
1,364
3,510
Compared with
the preceding year.
Increase.
......
......
......
9,115
......
......
......
3,056
......
2,146
Decrease.
......
9,384
......
......
......
391
......
......
......
......
Success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
8,483
......
27,538
34,149
4,546
3,965
20,400
21,856
1,197
2,954
Percentage of
success excluding
those unknown
from the Total.
In Pri-
mary
Vaccina-
tion.
94.8
......
92.3
90.8
91.0
91.9
87.2
92.3
89.9
86.6
In Re¬
vaccina¬
tion.
88.5
......
56.8
51.1
75.4
59.1
63.4
72.8
77.5
54.2
Progress.
I regret I am unable to state anything fully as regards the progress of vaccination in
this Circle, owing to my having given over charge to Assist-
ant Surgeon Raby before the close of the official year, and
from want of information, as all the returns had not been received. I have only received
the number of "Total vaccinated" in the Collectorates of Belgaum, Dhárwár and Kaládgí,
and the Municipalities, in all of which there is a decrease, chiefly owing to illness and leave
granted to vaccinators, and to some amount of opposition on the part of villagers.
Lymph.
2. The lymph used during the year was generally reported to be good, but on several
occasions during my tour I found that it ought not to be so
termed, judging by the resulting vesicles. In some in-
stances while in the Kaládgí Districts I noticed that some of the vaccinators had been in the
habit of using lymph taken from too ripe vesicles. But still, on the whole, the lymph has been
of good quality, and the supply well kept up. In only one instance did a vaccinator (of the
Ron Táluká) fail in his supply, and this was owing to the reluctance shown by parents in
12
Municipalities.
10. The Gokák Municipality have, at my suggestion, appointed a vaccinator, the work
being too heavy to be carried on by the hospital assistant
in charge of the dispensary, unaided. The Kaládgí Munici-
pality have been, on the other hand, obliged to dispense
with the services of the vaccinator, for want of funds.
Tour.
11. I commenced my tour early in November, and chiefly inspected the Kaládgí Dis-
tricts and some of the bordering Native States, viz., Jam-
khandí, Mudhol, and Kurundwád, for the full details of
which I beg to refer to the Statement No. VII.
Office.
12. A second kárkun has been added to the office permanently, as the work connected
with the vernacular correspondence was found to be too much
for one kárkun to attend to. The office is allowed only
three peons; the number, I think, is insufficient, as I have often experienced great incon-
venience when on my tour of inspection, in having the children collected. I would, there-
fore, beg respectfully to recommend an increase of the number of peons to four.
Civil Authorities.
13. Before closing this report I have much pleasure in recording the great
assistance afforded me, at all times, by the civil and poli-
tical authorities.
Belgaum, 21st April 1873.
13
WESTERN CIRCLE.
Superintendent.—Assistant Surgeon T. CODY.
Establishment.—3 Assistant Superintendents, 1 Clerk, 27 Vaccinators under Local Funds,
2 under Municipalities, and 3 under Native States. Total number of Vaccinators, 32.
Population 2,534,687. Total cost, Rs. 22,511-14-11. Average cost of each successful
vaccination, Rs. 0-5-8.
Establishment.
Government ......
Local Funds
Municipalities
Native States ......
Dispensaries ......
Years.
1871-72...
1872-73...
1871-72...
1872-73..
1871-72...
1872-73...
1871-72...
1872.73...
1871-72...
1872-73...
Total vac-
cinated.
11,942
...
45,894
59,731
2,061
1,108
5,270
8,973
1,392
2,151
Compared with
the preceding year.
Increase.
...
...
...
13,837
...
...
...
3,703
...
759
Decrease.
...
11,942
...
...
...
953
...
...
...
...
Success-
fully vac-
cinated.
11,670
...
43,503
54,229
1,967
954
4,813
8,209
1,173
1,711
Percentage of suc-
cess, excluding
those unknown
from the total.
In
Primary
Vaccina-
tions.
96.5
...
95.9
94.0
95.4
91.3
94.6
94.8
89.1
84.7
In
Re-vacci-
nations.
86.2
...
75.1
63.9
52.6
44.4
73.8
75.8
48.8
61.6
Increase.
In submitting my report for the year 1872-73 I have to show an increase in the number
of persons treated, over the year 1871-72, to the extent of
5,404. Taking the total of all the establishments, connect-
ed with the Circle, the number of persons treated in 1871-72 amounted to 66,559, and in
this year it reaches 71,963 ; thus showing the large increase I have just quoted.
2. Taking the establishments in detail, the increase is not general, there being a decrease
in Government and Municipal establishments. With regard to the former I have to state
that it ceased to exist in the year 1871-72, so that this year there has been no work performed
under that head, the whole being credited to Local Funds, from which source all the vaccinators
in this Circle are now paid ; and to the latter I think the decrease may be attributed more to
the performance of work in arrears during the previous year than to any falling away in this,
though still I think there is much room for improvement in the town of Tháná. In this town,
too, there was a break of work consequent on the removal of the vaccinator employed last
year, who was replaced, towards the close of the year under report, by one who I expect
will be more industrious, and show better results. The increase, therefore, is distributed
over the Local Funds, Native States, and Dispensary Establishments.
23
NORTHERN CIRCLE.
Superintendent.—MANCHARJI BERAMJI COLA, M.D.
Establishment.—4 Assistant Superintendents, 1 Clerk, 1 Vaccinator under Government
27 under Local Funds, 8 under Municipalities, 14 under Native Chiefs, and 25 Dispensaries.
Population 3,595,919. Total cost Rs. 26,420-12-9. Average cost of each successful
vaccination 5 annas and 2 pies.
Establishment.
Government...
...
Local Funds
...
Municipalities
...
Native States
...
Dispensaries ...
...
Years.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-73.
1871-72.
1872-73.
Total
vaccina-
ted.
18,629
1,210
32,196
52,069
10,411
11,456
18,782
24,262
3,428
4,741
Compared with
the preceding year.
Increase.
......
......
......
19,873
......
1,045
......
5,480
......
1,313
Decrease.
......
17,419
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
Success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
16,741
1,068
29,143
47,477
8,316
10,075
17,279
21,981
3,683
4,236
Percentage of
success, excluding
those unknown
from the Total.
In Pri-
mary
Vaccina-
tion.
90.9
91.2
95.4
95.9
95.6
96.2
96.3
94.6
93.1
93.2
In Re¬
vaccina-
tion.
82.6
72.2
79.4
74.9
88.6
78.9
76.7
81.4
70.3
69.3
General Progress.
10. It affords me much satisfaction to submit this annual report of vaccination. The
above summary of our labours indicates a satisfactory
progress ; there is a goodly increase in the number of opera-
tions, both primary and secondary, as well as a slight increase in the percentage of success.
The total increase amounts to 10,292.
Total of Work.
2. Taking the work of all the establishments together, the total number of operations
performed during the year is 94,238 ; of these 90,814 were
primary vaccinations and 3,424 were re-vaccinations. The
total number of successful operations is 84,837.