Part II. ]
VACCINATION IN THE BENGAL PRESIDENCY.
45
Sex of the vaccinated.
Except in the Hyderabad Assigned Districts, the number of males vaccinated
has everywhere exceeded the number of females. The even population of
the figures with the census returns is noteworthy, and may be considered con-
firmatory of the truth of the results. The North-Western Provinces show
the most even proportions of the sexes vaccinated, and Oudh the most
divergent; but in the former the percentage of females vaccinated is greater
than the percentage in the total population. The Punjab ratios tally almost
precisely with the census figures.
Some of the reports contain interesting information on the subject of the
sexes of the vaccinated. For instance, Dr. Richardson writes thus of the
Agra and Meerut circles:—
The number of males and females vaccinated was nearly the same, the latter exceeding
the former by only 403. Last year the males were slightly in excess. Although in the total
results the approximation of these numbers is close, yet, when the large towns are compared
with the rural districts, striking differences are manifest. In the municipal towns, the pro-
portions of those vaccinated were 100 males to 89 females. For the country, these propor-
tions were reversed, there being only 95 males for every 100 females. In conjunction with
this it will be seen from the returns, that whilst Mahomedans constituted about one-sixth of
the whole number vaccinated in municipal towns, they constituted only about one-ninth in
the country. This is only what might have been expected from the known tendency of
Mahomedans to congregate in towns. Whether the comparatively smaller number of females
vaccinated in cities be a consequence of the larger proportion of Mahomedans found in cities
as compared with the country, I am unable to say; but it has struck me that both the higher
Hindoo castes, as well as the Mahomedans of the cities, are more averse to having their girls
brought to be vaccinated than those of the country. It may be that the proportion of the
sexes vaccinated in the cities is normal. Such would certainly be the case were the results
of the census to be relied upon. From the published returns, the number of males in these
provinces is shown to be largely in excess of the number of females, and this agrees with the
proportions of the sexes vaccinated in cities. Similarly, accepting the census as correct, the
proportion of girls to boys vaccinated in the country would be abnormally great. Amongst
the rural population of all the districts, except Dehra Doon and the Tehree State, the number
of girls is considerably in excess of the number of. boys vaccinated, and in some districts,
such as Allygurh and Mynpoory, very greatly so. That the returns are correct can admit of
no question; the nominal registers are left in each village visited by a vaccinator, and their
accuracy can be tested by any one. Next year I shall ascertain from these registers the exact
proportion of the sexes vaccinated according to caste.
The returns for the province of Bengal show a larger percentage of
females than in any of the preceding years.
Age of the vaccinated.
Age of the vaccinated.—Of the total number vaccinated, 74.14 per cent.
were over one year of age, and 25.86 under one year.
From the following statement it will be seen that the season gave con-
siderably improved results upon the year 1872-73. The Bengal results alone
are less favorable as regards the number of infant vaccinations.
STATEMENT No. VII.
Bengal
...
...
...
North-Western Provinces
... ...
Punjab
...
...
...
...
Central Provinces ... ... ...
Oudh.
...
...
...
...
Hyderabad
...
...
...
Vaccine Establishment ... ... ...
Dispensary Vaccination ... ... ...
PERCENTAGE AMONG THOSE VACCINATED OF PERSONS
Under one year.
1872-73.
10.
25.
36.95
31.96
24.94
17.22
20.5
31.2
1873-74.
8.82
25.39
39.44
36.06
35.32
30.04
21.51
30.22
Over one year.
1872-73.
90.
75.
63.05
68.04
75.05
82.78
79.5
68.8
1873-74.
91.18
74.61
60.56
63.94
64.68
69.96
78.49
69.78
Infant vaccination.
There is no doubt that there is a widely spread feeling in all the pro-
vinces against infant vaccination, and this prejudice, which is more strongly-
marked in the province of Bengal than elsewhere, is clearly to be traced to
old custom which prevailed on this point in the practice of inoculation. An
infant is never inoculated; in fact it is seldom that the operation is under-
taken before five years of age. Of course the vehemence of the prejudice
varies with provinces and localities, and hence the varieties in the results.