46
VACCINATION IN THE BENGAL PRESIDENCY.
[ Part II.
Caste of the
vaccinated.
Caste of the vaccinated.—Statement No. VIII gives the available informa-
tion on this point. The figures within the brackets indicate the proportions
of the different classes in the total population.
STATEMENT No. VIII.
PROVINCES.
Bengal
...
...
...
...
North-Western Provinces ... ...
Punjab
...
...
... ...
Central Provinces
... ... ...
Oudh
...
...
...
...
Hyderabad Assigned Districts ... ...
PERCENTAGE AMONG THOSE VACCINATED OF
Christians.
.31
(.06)
.29
...
.26
...
.10
...
.75
...
.03
...
Hindoos.
59.61
(64.8)
59.14
(84.)
43.54
(48.)
66.50
(95.)
75.66
(88.)
77.73
Mussulmans.
33.82
(31.3)
15.31
(14.)
42.44
(52.)
4.91
(2.6)
23.54
(10.)
3.9
...
Other castes.
6.26
(3.7)
25.26
...
13.76
...
28.49
...
.05
...
18.34
...
The classification is of such a very general nature, and the term " other
castes" such an ambiguous one, that nothing more than general conclusions
are indicated. To obtain more accurate data as to caste, the returns would
have to be so modified as to entail great additional labour on the establishment,
and such an end is to be avoided. In the province of Bengal there has been
a falling off in every caste except Hindoos, but the reports do not contain any
particular explanation of the fact.
Small-pox.
Small-pox.—The year has been remarkable for the prevalence of small-pox.
All the reports except that for the province of Oudh contain information con-
cerning the mortality from small-pox.
In Bengal.
In the districts of the province of Bengal, there were 11,502 deaths, or
0.18 per 1,000 of the population. The disease was not absent from any
district while it assumed an epidemic form in several localities. In Calcutta
it was present throughout the year, and it appeared in the 24-Pergunnahs and
Burdwan. It was particularly severe in Bankoora, Beerbhoom and the Sonthal
Pergunnahs, as well as in Hazaribaugh and Lohardugga As a matter of fact, it
is found that the people accept vaccination more readily when danger from
small-pox is at hand.
North-West.
The prevalence of an epidemic of small-pox in the North-Western Pro-
vinces was the principal feature of the health of the year, the number of
deaths from this cause being 3.15 per mille against 0.97 for 1872.
Punjab.
The table appended to the Punjab report shows that 24,749 deaths took
place in that province.
Central Provinces.
In the Central Provinces, 11,110 deaths, or 3.5 per 1,000 of the popula-
tion, occurred against 9,936 in the previous year. The disease broke out in
Chicholee, Anikhera, Barvee, Kheeree, Sanikhera, Jambara and Amla.
Burmah.
In Burmah there were 1,416 deaths, chiefly in the Pegu division.
Hyderabad.
Hyderabad underwent a prolonged epidemic and forfeited 8,326 lives to
small-pox.
Inoculation.
Inoculation.—Everywhere inoculation is more or less practised, but more
so in the province of Bengal than elsewhere. The Benares circle of the North-
Western Provinces appears to be particularly favoured by the presence of ino-
culators. In some parts of the Punjab much annoyance and some opposition had
to be encountered from this cause. The Superintendent General of that province
particularly mentions the Kangra district as the abode of these pests, and in
the Peshawur district inoculation is practised to a great extent; but the people
of northern Punjab do not appear to be so prejudiced in the matter as
their more southern countrymen, and they seem to appreciate the fact that
inoculation is fraught with a danger from which vaccination is free, and that it
is a frequent cause of epidemics of small-pox. The Surgeon General in his