68
VACCINATION IN THE PUNJAB.
[Part II.
Work of regular es-
tablishment.
Work of dispensary
establishment.
The work performed by the regular vaccine establishment shows an in-
crease over the previous year of 61,546 cases; the percentage of success was
slightly increased, and the cost fell to 2 annas and 7 pie from 3 annas and 1 pie.
The operations of the dispensary establishment have for the past two years
shown a decrease ; but the percentage of success and the cost have diminished
satisfactorily. To a great extent the increase of municipal and local vaccinations
is accounted for by the increased facilities for vaccination afforded by municipa
and local committees and by Native States. By these latter agencies a largel
excess (46,083 cases) of work upon the results of the former year was done.
The grand total of all work was 101,750 in excess of the number of the
previous year.
A deputy superin-
tendent added to the
establishment.
General facts.
In December sanction was given to the entertainment of a native deputy
superintendent, to whom tehseels in the Kangra district were allotted.
The following facts, which are interesting, are noted by the Superintendent
In April visited Kulu.
General:—
" In April 1873 the heat in the Kangra valley was great, and the results
obtained were so unsatisfactory, that the vaccinators were sent on to Kulu,
where no difficulties were met with and the traders from Láhoul and Ladakh
readily had themselves and children vaccinated."
Foreign lymph.
In June some animal lymph which had been obtained in Brussels was
used in the Hills; all that was contained in tubes failed, whereas that preserved
on points succeeded, and Dr. Bennett vaccinated thirteen children with lymph
procured from England without a single successful result.
Return to the plain
Returning to Kangra in October, opposition was encountered at Palampur,
in consequence of the presence of inoculators. In the town of Nurpur, which
is inhabited chiefly by Cashmerees, success was limited. The bad result is attri-
buted to the " unhealthiness of the inhabitants ;" and, adds Dr. Garden, " I
could see no other reason for it, as in the villages about, the vesicles produced
were perfect."
Gurdaspore, Kurnal,
Ludiana.
A large amount of excellent work was done in the Gurdaspore district,
but very little in Kurnal. In Ludianah, which was formerly the seat of very
decided opposition, a considerable amount of good work was done.
Dispensary vaccina-
tion.
Dispensary vaccination, as stated, declined in numbers, but a great deal
of interest and zeal was manifested in the work by many of the civil surgeons
of the province; for instance, the civil surgeon of Goorgaon adopted the
following plan of working, of which the Superintendent General greatly
approves:—
Plan adopted in Goor-
gaon.
Dr. Ferguson, the civil surgeon, printed a circular in the vernacular, which he distri-
buted among the lumbardars of villages, asking for their assistance. The vaccinators were
sent to seven contiguous villages with directions to vaccinate a few children in each with
preserved lymph. On the following seven days they again visited these villages and vacci-
nated all who could be found to submit to the operation from the best of the first vaccinated
cases. When these villages were done, seven more were selected, and so on till all in the
tehsil were visited.
Vuccinators should
not be sent far from
sudder stations.
Objection to vaccina-
tors travelling with
the camps of civil
officers.
In the case of towns the same plan was pursued, the vaccinators working in seven mohal-
lahs at a time. Dr. Fergusson himself inspected the work.
Dr. Garden observes that civil surgeons frequently permit their vacci-
nators to go long distances into the districts where the work is never supervised.
In one district a vaccinator was always attached to the camp of the
deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner when they were out in the
district. This is considered to be a mistake " as, excepting in places where
these officers remain for over a week, the vaccinator is not able to test the
result of his work, and the civil surgeon is unable to supervise."
Districts in which
results improved.
In several districts—Rhotuck, Ferozepore, Montgomery, Peshawur, and
Dera Ismail Khan—there was a marked increase in the amount of work accom-
plished, in others there was a slight increase, whilst the majority show a falling
off.
Delhi.
There was considerable improvement as regards vaccination in the city of
Delhi, and especially as to the help afforded by the members of the municipal
committee, but " by far the greater number of children seen were in the
suburbs, and they were nearly all coolies, and those of the lowest caste."
Assistance from lec¬
tures and pamphlets.
Several pamphlets were written and lectures delivered in different parts of
the province by native gentlemen in favor of vaccination. At Delhi, Umritsur,
and Peshawur, assistance of more or less valuable nature was thus gained.