50
VACCINATION IN THE BENGAL PRESIDENCY.
[Part II.
nator appeared in the following season, all the mothers crowded around him
with their infants, and two mothers who happened to be absent, followed him
with their infants for ten miles to another village where he was vaccinating.
Indications of educa-
ted native opinion fa-
vouring vaccination.
A very interesting feature of the Punjab report, as indicating the bold and
open course which educated native opinion is taking, is the fact that numerous
lectures were delivered in the great cities, and pamphlets written in favour of
vaccination and circulated freely by leading native members of several com-
munities.
A lecture which was delivered in the city of Amritsur was lithographed
and posted at various parts of the city. It is a curious production, but is valu-
able as showing the worth of an accurate knowledge of native character in the
endeavour to confute their superstitious beliefs. It is transcribed below in full,
and it will be observed that a reasoning process is employed. Such a line is,
however, adopted as would never have struck a European, and the tendency to
base all customs on religion is exemplified. The author, it is very evident,
knew accurately the process which would tell most, and the civil surgeon
acknowledges that the document influenced the better classes favourably
towards vaccination.
" The inhabitants of Europe are all familiar with the disease called small-pox, and they
have proved by experiments that it is contagious. Formerly in England it was considered an
incurable disease, and about thirty-six thousand lives were destroyed by it yearly.
" Since the practice of vaccination has been discovered and its advantages known, the
mortality of this dangerous malady has been reduced to such an extent that it occurs now
at the rate of only 42 deaths per mille.
" If this excellent prophylactic (roknawalah) mode of treatment be compared with
' ab-i-hayat'* or 'aksir,'† it will, no doubt, hold the first position. 'A'b-i-hayát' and 'aksir' have
never been seen by any one, but have only been read of, whereas the advantages of vaccination
are manifest.
"I am extremely sorry that my Hindú brethren still consider that small-pox is a spirit or
god, and that they dislike to have their children vaccinated, because they fear to avert the
ways of the spirit.
" This belief is so firmly fixed in the minds of the people, especially of the Hindú women,
that whenever they meet a vaccinator in villages or cities, they conceal the children and re-
move them to other places, the result of which is an increase in the rate of mortality, which
amounts to 52 per cent.
" If this mortality be compared with that of Europe, the difference will be equal to the
distance between north and south. As the chief object of the Dharm Sabah committee is to
correct bad habits and customs which are contradictory to our religion, I beg to submit as a
part of my duty the necessity for instilling into the minds of the people the advantages which
accrue to vaccination.
" In conversation with the Pandits on the subject they made me understand that, ac-
cording to their sacred books, small-pox was a contagious disease which affects children and
originates from cessation of menstruation in the mother while the child is in the womb.
" Formerly, when small-pox was considered to be an incurable disease, the children who
were attacked were left entirely to the care of the Devi.
" At present a cure having been found by the blessed researches of the European gentle-
men, it is neglectful of us that we do not accept the advantages of the cure.
" It is apparent to every Hindú that Devi is a sacred spirit according to our religion, and
it is not reasonable to suppose that she would represent herself in destroying and deforming the
appearance of little innocent children, but on the contrary, would endeavour to save them
from every trouble.
" People who call their goddesses by this name, small-pox, 'bud-nam' their goddesses, and
will therefore be refused admittance into heaven.
" People who do not believe in vaccination are guilty of three sins—
" 1st.—They deserve the reproach of their goddesses.
" 2nd.—They destroy their children
" 3rd.—They render them unfit for work by loss of sight, causing them to pass their
lives in grief and sorrow, and permitting a disfiguration of their children's faces
which prevents their being recognised.
" My dear brothers, arise from this sleep of carelessness, and for your sins ask pardon, the
only atonement for which sins is to have no objection to vaccination.
" Further, I wish to advise Muhammadans that though it is plainly mentioned in their
sacred books as a fatal disease, it is not necessary for them to follow Hindûs and
object to vaccination.
" If, in spite of all this advice, the Hindús and Mussalmans still continue to raise objec-
tion, I will consider them unfortunate and unlucky."
* Ah-i-hayat, a stream which flows in a dark land where the sun does not shine, which by drinking will give ever-
lasting life.
† Aksir it said to be a kind of stone which turns iron into gold.